PARTICULARISATION OF THE PLAINTIFF'S CASE
- During closing submissions, Counsel for the Plaintiff conceded that she could not, on the evidence, establish that Mr Crowther was intoxicated. [81] In essence the Plaintiff's case was advanced on the particulars of negligence set out in paragraphs 22, (k) and (l) which read as follows:-
22 Failing not to permit violent, quarrelsome and intimidating conduct on licensed premises;
22 Failing to ask Rodney Crowther to leave the premises before he became threatening, unruly, intimidating and assaulting the Plaintiff; [and]
22 Failing to restrain Rodney Crowther from threatening the Plaintiff.
- The Defendant took issue with the Plaintiff advancing a case to the extent that it involved an alleged failure on the part of its employees to remove Mr Crowther from the Club, following the first interaction with the Plaintiff. It asserted that this was something that had not been pleaded or particularised. [82]
- On 17 August 2016, the Defendant's solicitors wrote to the Plaintiff's solicitors to seek further and better particulars of the Plaintiff's claim. Relevantly the request sought the following information:-
"16. As to paragraph 22(a) - (m) of the Statement of Claim:
16.1 At what point in time or upon the happening of what specific event is it contended that the Club ought to have removed Rodney from the Club?
16.2 What about Rodney's behaviour and/or demeanour prior to the subject alleged abuse, intimidation, assault is it contended ought to have brought him to the attention of the Club's employees, agents, servants and/or representatives?
16.3 Please confirm the plaintiff was only in the defendant's premises for a period of 30 minutes prior to the alleged abuse, intimidation, assault by Rodney?
16.4 Is it asserted the plaintiff was aware of how many alcoholic drinks Rodney had consumed prior to the alleged abuse, intimidation and assault? If so how many?
16.5 On what basis does the plaintiff assert the Club should have refused service to Rodney?
16.6 On what basis does the plaintiff assert the Club should have removed Rodney from the premises?
16.7 What would have constituted 'adequate precautions' being taken by the Club for the plaintiff's safety." [83]
The Plaintiff's solicitors responded to this request by a letter dated 6 September 2016, which relevantly stated:-
16.1 When Rodney swore at the bar manager.
16.2 We refer to the response to 16.1 above.
16.3 Yes.
16.4 The Plaintiff is unaware.
16.5 We refer to the pleadings filed and the above responses.
16.6 We refer to the pleadings filed and the above responses.
16.7 We refer to the pleadings filed and the above responses. [84]
- The Plaintiff's opening was in the following terms:-
"Now, it's the plaintiff's case that what happened at 3.30 that afternoon warranted Crowther being removed. Crowther had a history, he had been banned for six months some time earlier for a domestic dispute with his partner as I understand it in the past so he had a track record then. Instead the club let him stay there for the afternoon drinking. We don't have any expert evidence on intoxication but we say that that's a factor that is relevant in the case and on balance of probabilities he was intoxicated, that they continued to serve him alcohol up to the time that he assaulted the plaintiff, and that even having been so aggressive towards the plaintiff to the knowledge of the staff, he still wasn't removed.
So, we say that on the factual causation level in terms of liability, he should have been removed at 3.30, he should have been removed or isolated after the first attack on the plaintiff. Additionally, or alternatively the plaintiff should have been taken out of harm's way at that stage. He was obviously the target of this man and doing either of those things - - (emphasis supplied)." [85]
- In light of the objection taken during closing submissions and the above opening I sought clarification from the Defendant as to the unfairness it asserted it occasioned. The transcript records:-
"HIS HONOUR: The plaintiff opened on a particular basis. Pleadings are there to define the evidence and you can object to evidence if it falls outside the pleadings. But I just need to know if there's an unfairness to you.
KELLY: There is, because if I had understood there to be an inference drawn about the absence of evidence from people who were available to give evidence on it then I would've called them.
HIS HONOUR: How could you not have been aware of that? Everyone knows that.
KELLY: No, I'm not being cute about this. I say seriously when I said a minute ago, I'm still not actually sure what is alleged to be the precaution we should've taken. In other words, what it is in fact we've failed to do? Now, I've got the pleadings there but I don't know what else is. Your Honour and I have proceeded--
HIS HONOUR: There was an opening given.
KELLY: And I said--
HIS HONOUR: And you raised an issue about that.
KELLY: Yes.
HIS HONOUR: And that was dealt with. You didn't raise any other issue about that.
KELLY: But your Honour there's still no evidence about it. In reality the only evidence about that is essentially the plaintiff giving oral evidence about adding some information to what's evident from the CCTV. But if the plaintiff is going to say, I'm actually going to run a case that your conduct of your two people, during the course of that period, was negligent in the following respects, they should have done something to remove the plaintiff. You should have done something more to separate or remove Crowther. If that had been ever particularised we would have asked questions about, certainly the second one of those, "What exactly do you mean by that?" But if that was specifically dealt with and specifically pleaded, my position could well be different. It would be subject to instructions but it could well be different and the person who could give evidence on that would not have been available until today." [86]
- Further paragraph [12] of the Statement of Claim reads:-
[12] In the circumstances where the Defendant was unable to restrain and contain Rodney Crowther and in the circumstances of Rodney Crowther's verbal abuse and vicious assault and threatening behaviour, the Plaintiff suffered shock and in fear for his life, ran from the Defendant's premises.
The Defence in this regard was:-
[6] In response to paragraph [12] of the Statement of Claim, the Defendant does not admit that they were unable to restrain and contain "Rodney" but otherwise unable to plead to the assertion that the Plaintiff ran in fear of his life as it does not have that knowledge.
- When those pleadings were drawn to Counsel for the Defendant's attention, I was informed that it was a "pleading of theoretical factual matters" and that the particulars of negligence "saying these are the ways in which [the Defendant] breached [their] duty" should have been "specifically pleaded" and that if it was to be pleaded that the Defendant "should have done something different with Crowther, that should be specifically pleaded." [87]
- The principles relating to the purposes and functions of particulars was summarised by Macfarlan JA in Fregnan v Stanizzo. [88] In that case, His Honour stated:-
[15] … it is not appropriate for a court to order a plaintiff to provide detailed particulars of allegations that are plainly made merely to provide background or context to the central allegations in a statement of claim. Furthermore, whether the allegations are central or not, a high degree of specificity in allegations is not necessarily warranted. The extent to which it is required in any particular case is to be determined by the relevant legal practitioners and the court by reference to the circumstances of the case and having regard to the real issues between the parties. The "just, quick and cheap resolution of the real issues in the proceedings" is not advanced by permitting defendants to seek unnecessarily detailed particulars.
- Further following an examination of the authorities and Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 15.5, Harrison AsJ in Collendina Pty Ltd and Ors v Murray Darling Basin Commission and Ors held that the Plaintiff was required to plead the material facts necessary to formulate the cause of action and was not required to plead that there was a reasonably practicable precaution or alternative course of conduct. [89]
- When I asked Counsel for the Defendant which of the facts presented took him by surprise, he responded: "Nothing in reality." [90] Such a concession was properly made.
- To the extent that the Defendant may have been in doubt, it was clear from the opening given by Counsel for the Plaintiff as to the case that the Plaintiff would be advancing.
- Counsel for the Defendant was asked as to what would happen if it was in the opening and he did not note it, he indicated that he could "call these people [and] have to get them back to Sydney …" [91] I indicated at that point that he had made his decision but asked whether he was "in any doubt at that time?" [92] The transcript records the following response:-
"KELLY: I was in doubt exactly as to how it was alleged that the defendant was in breach of its duty. What it is that's supposed to have been done and when and how, and we're entitled to seek particulars. And for example, I'll give you another example, your Honour, if this is being pleaded and it identified as they're required to do the risk of harm and the risk of harm is being injured as a result of the continued presence of a violent and aggressive patron on the premises, we would have sought particulars of a number of things. When was he violent, when was he aggressive, and continued from when? Is it from 3.30? Is it from 7:32:50? And that identifies for us exactly what case we have to meet." [93]
- That contention has little substance when the Defendant concedes as noted earlier, that nothing in reality took it by surprise.
- Indeed the only complaint made following the Plaintiff's opening was that the Plaintiff should have particularised an allegation of negligence that he should have been removed by the Defendant from the risk of harm. That was not a circumstance pressed in the Plaintiff's closing. Nevertheless the Defendant was then asked whether there was anything else in the opening beyond that matter which took him by surprise before responding that there was not. [94]
- At the conclusion of the Defendant's case, Counsel for the Plaintiff plainly indicated reliance on a Jones v Dunkel inference, [95] based on the Defendant having the barman identified by the Plaintiff present in Court that day. A concession was not forthcoming by Counsel for the Defendant, but as I indicated, it was unnecessary. What is clear is that the Defendant could not have been in any doubt that the Plaintiff would seek to rely on a Jones v Dunkel inference at the end of the day's proceedings and Counsel for the Plaintiff responding that she had no case in reply. [96]
- Accordingly the decision not to call witnesses should be viewed as a "deliberate" one. It is difficult to understand how any misapprehension as to the Plaintiff's case could have arisen bearing in mind the way it was opened and pleaded.
- During submissions (including in reply), Counsel for the Defendant adverted to: "making an application" [97] and his capacity to call persons who could have addressed inferences available under Jones v Dunkel. [98] Counsel stated: "if I had understood there to be an inference drawn about the absence of evidence from people who were available to give evidence on it then I would've called them." [99]
- In circumstances of a deliberate decision made by a party to not call evidence, where the hearing was complete and the matter was raised in course of submissions such a request would not be entertained. [100]
- It is unnecessary in these circumstances to make an order to amend the Statement of Claim to include "failing to remove Crowther after he had to be restrained from attacking the Plaintiff" as sought by the Plaintiff. This appeared to be acknowledged by the Plaintiff's Counsel. [101] Even if I was to accept that it may have been necessary to provide particulars beyond those formally pleaded the Defendant was told on 6 September 2016 that the that the Plaintiff was alleging that Mr Crowther should have been removed at the time he swore at the Manager; [102] a matter referred to in Exhibit 1 by Mr John Atlass recording, Mr Crowther "swearing big time" and "everyone in the Club heard the language said and it was disgraceful." It was further referred to in the Plaintiff's opening when it was stated [Crowther] should have been removed or isolated after the first attack on the Plaintiff. No objection was taken at that point.