Roberts v The Attorney General & Anor [2016] EWHC 3219 (QB) (20 December 2016)

Roberts v The Attorney General & Anor [2016] EWHC 3219 (QB) (20 December 2016)

The court below erred in striking out the claim on the assumption that the second defendant's advice was given pursuant to a statutory function, as there was no evidential basis for that assumption. The question of whether a duty of care is owed should be determined at trial based on the actual facts and evidence regarding the scope of any statutory direction.

Citation
[2016] EWHC 3219 (QB)
Parties
Claimant: Howard Gray Roberts; 1st Defendant: The Attorney General; 2nd Defendant: Kate Flannery
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
20 December 2016
Procedural Posture
Appeal / Appeal Against Order Striking Out Claim at First Instance
Outcome
Appeal allowed
Legal Topics
Negligent Misstatement, Duty of Care, Statutory Functions, Police Appointments
Tort Law Public Law Negligent Misstatement Duty of Care Statutory Functions Police Appointments

Case Brief

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Parties

Howard Gray Roberts

Claimant

The Attorney General

1st Defendant

Kate Flannery

2nd Defendant

Procedural Posture

Appeal / Appeal Against Order Striking Out Claim at First Instance

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether a duty of care is owed by HMIC to a candidate in the context of advice given to a police authority selection panel
  2. 2 Whether advice given by HMIC was pursuant to a statutory function excluding a common law duty of care
  3. 3 Whether the claim should be struck out in the absence of evidence of the statutory direction

Ratio Decidendi

The court below erred in striking out the claim on the assumption that the second defendant's advice was given pursuant to a statutory function, as there was no evidential basis for that assumption. The question of whether a duty of care is owed should be determined at trial based on the actual facts and evidence regarding the scope of any statutory direction.

Court Disposition

Appeal allowed

Orders

  • Order striking out the claim set aside
  • Claim to proceed to trial for determination of duty of care and breach, if necessary