Citations: [2011] UKFTT EA – 2010 – 0060 (GRC Links: Bailii Statutes: Freedom of Information Act 2000, Data Protection Act 1996 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Information Updated: 01 September 2022; Ref: scu.428729
The issue was whether ‘data’ within the Data Protection Act 1984 was limited to data in computer-readable form. Held: The offence of the ‘use’ of protected data required something beyond inspection on a computer screen including printout. There is a tension at inter-state level between the need to protect privacy, and the need for free … Continue reading Regina v Brown (Gregory): HL 9 Feb 1996
The claimants asserted ownership of copyright in football fixture lists as a database right. The defendant denied that they attracted any such right. The judge had found that significant skill and labour went into the preparation of the list. Held: The appeal failed in general, but the court referred a limited questiion to the ECJ … Continue reading Football Dataco Ltd and Others v Yahoo! UK Ltd and Others: CA 9 Dec 2010
ECJ 1. Although a directive may not of itself impose obligations on an individual and cannot therefore be relied upon as such against him, the national court which applies national law and is required to interpret it must as far as possible do so, whether the provisions in question were adopted before or after the … Continue reading Eurim-Pharm Arzneimittel v Beiersdorf and others: ECJ 11 Jul 1996
Computer based digital images are ‘copies of a photograph’ sufficient for the Act, and so possession of digital entities capable of being transformed into images were such photographs. Making a file available for download, was sufficient to amount to distribution or publication of them. Times 03-Oct-1996, [1996] EWCA Crim 825 Protection of Children Act 1978, … Continue reading Regina v Fellows, Arnold: CACD 27 Sep 1996
The appellant complained that the respondent had imported into the European Economic Area disk drives bearing its trade marks in breach of the appellant’s rights. The respondent had argued that the appellant had abused its position by withholding information which would allow it to trade lawfully. The Court was now asked: ‘whether a person who … Continue reading Oracle America Inc v M-Tech Data Ltd: SC 27 Jun 2012
Vice-Chancellor was asked to consider whether to strike out a statement of claim based upon alleged misfeasance by a police officer in his public office. The allegation against the police officer was that he had deliberately and falsely supplied details of convictions to the press. The point taken was that it was not concerned with … Continue reading Elliott v Chief Constable of Wiltshire and Others: ChD 20 Nov 1996
An order for a journalist to reveal his source was a breach of his right of free expression: ‘The court recalls that freedom of expression constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society and that the safeguards to be afforded to the press are of particular importance. Protection of journalistic sources is one … Continue reading Goodwin v The United Kingdom: ECHR 27 Mar 1996
ECJ 1. Reliance by a trade mark owner on his rights as owner in order to prevent an importer from marketing a product which was put on the market in another Member State by the owner or with his consent where . .
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The claimants had succeeded in a claim of distress occasioned by breach of confidence and breach of the Data Protection Act by the taking and selling of photographs from their wedding. Held: As to losses, for the magazine who had bought the rights, the issue was decided by reference to the fee they would have … Continue reading Douglas and others v Hello! Ltd etc: ChD 7 Nov 2003
[2015] UKFTT 2014 – 0227 (GRC) Bailii Data Protection Act 1996 43 Information Updated: 27 December 2021; Ref: scu.542482
The claimant challenged the refusal of the Council to pay compensation as recommended by the Ombudsman. The Council had gathered personal details and information of the claimants in the course of a planning dispute, and then published that information on its website. Though accepting that there needed to be good reason for not following the … Continue reading Gallagher and Another, Regina (on The Application of) v Basildon District Council: Admn 9 Nov 2010
The ET was entitled to find that the employer’s ‘sole or main purpose’ in giving the Claimant a formal oral warning for refusing to comply with an instruction to take down an email list he had created for union communications was ‘preventing or deterring him from taking part in the activities of an independent trade … Continue reading University College London v Brown (Formal Oral Warning, ‘Sole or Main Purpose’): EAT 17 Dec 2020
Fair Coment on Political Activities The defendant newspaper had published articles wrongly accusing the claimant, the former Prime Minister of Ireland of duplicity. The paper now appealed, saying that it should have had available to it a defence of qualified privilege because of the claimant’s status as a politician. Held: The appeal failed (Lords Hope … Continue reading Reynolds v Times Newspapers Ltd and others: HL 28 Oct 1999
The claimant’s mother had died in hospital. The claimant said that she had died as a result of failures by doctors, and had asked the coroner and police to investigate his allegation that she had been deliberately harmed to cover up missed diagnoses. The police obtained an independent report which said that there was a … Continue reading Cubells, Regina (on The Application of) v Independent Police Complaints Commission: CA 15 Oct 2012
The claimant journalist sought disclosure of papers acquired by the respondent in its conduct of enquiries into the charitable Mariam appeal. The Commission referred to an absolute exemption under section 32(2) of the 2000 Act, saying that the exemption continued until the papers were destroyed, or for 20 years under the 1958 Act. Held: The … Continue reading Kennedy v The Charity Commission: SC 26 Mar 2014
The employer had applied to strike out their employee’s claim for unfair dismissal, and also sought a deposit from the claimant. The claim had been re-instated by the EAT. Held: A claim should not be struck out where, as here, there were facts in dispute between the parties which might affect the decision. It was … Continue reading Ezsias v North Glamorgan NHS Trust: CA 7 Mar 2007
The claimant said his dismissal had been automatically unfair under section 106(a) which protected him as a whistleblower. The court was asked whether any disclosure had to relate to an actual criminal offence, or otherwise what would be sufficient. The claimant had reported a failure by the college to act on reports that another lecturer … Continue reading Babula v Waltham Forest College: CA 7 Mar 2007
The appellant school ICT teacher had hacked into the school’s computer system, in order, he said, to demonstrate its weakness. He appealed against rejection of his assertion that his dismissal was unfair for being caused by his protected disclosure. The EAT had found his dismissal not to have been from the protected disclosure, but from … Continue reading Bolton School v Evans: CA 15 Nov 2006
EAT Employment Tribunal struck out unfair dismissal claims stating they were bound to fail. The employers had made two applications, one for a deposit to be ordered pursuant to rule 20 of the Employment Tribunal rules, and the second for a strike-out pursuant to rule 18(7)(b) on the grounds that the appeal had no reasonable … Continue reading Ezsias v North Glamorgan NHS Trust: EAT 25 Jul 2006
The claimant had been employed as an IT teacher. He was disciplined for testing the school’s computer system and revealing that it was open to abuse by hackers. He complained that this had been a qualifying protected disclosure under the 1996 Act. The claimant now sought leave to appeal. Held: Leave was granted. The single … Continue reading Bolton School v Evans: CA 9 May 2006
EAT Public Interest Disclosure – Protected Disclosure. Employee deliberately broke into computer system to show that his concerns that information might be obtained in breach of the Data Protection Act was reasonable. Disciplined for that reason and resigned in protest and being disciplined. Was it a protected disclosure? Was there a constructive dismissal? If so, … Continue reading Bolton School v Evans: EAT 7 Feb 2006
ECJ The term database as defined in Article 1(2) of Directive 96/9/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 1996 on the legal protection of databases refers to any collection of works, data or other materials, separable from one another without the value of their contents being affected, including a method … Continue reading Fixtures Marketing v Organismos prognostikon agonon podosfairou AE (OPAP): ECJ 9 Nov 2004
The court examined the development of the law in relation to comparative advertising. Jacob J said: ‘Prior to the coming into force of the Trade Marks Act 1994 comparative advertising using a registered trade mark of a competitor was, subject to minor exceptions involving the use of a company name, forbidden by section 4(1) of … Continue reading Vodafone Group Plc v Orange Personal Communications Services Ltd: ChD 1997
No anonymity for investigation suspect The claimant had been investigated on an allegation of historic sexual abuse. He had never been charged, but the investigation had continued with others being convicted in a high profile case. He appealed from refusal of orders restricting publication of his name and involvement in the inquiry. Held: (Kerr and … Continue reading PNM v Times Newspapers Ltd and Others: SC 19 Jul 2017
The claimant and her son sought to visit her other son in Leeds Prison. He was suspected of involvement in drugs, and therefore she was subjected to strip searches. There was no statutory support for the search. The son’s penis had been touched which was a battery. Held: The policy considerations which limit the heads … Continue reading Wainwright and another v Home Office: HL 16 Oct 2003
The claimant had sought damages against his employer, saying that they had failed in their duty to him under the 1997 Act in failing to prevent harassment by a manager. He appealed a strike out of his claim. Held: The appeal succeeded. The issue is whether an employer may be vicariously liable under section 3 … Continue reading Majrowski v Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust: CA 16 Mar 2005
The defendant police officers had obtained information from the Police National Computer, but had used it for improper purposes. Held: The prosecution should have taken place under the 1990 Act as unauthorised access, and had not been used under the 1984 Act. Judges: Lord Justice Pill And Mr Justice Astill Citations: [1997] EWHC Admin 476, … Continue reading Director of Public Prosecutions v Bignall: Admn 16 May 1997
The claimant alleged that disparaging adverts by the defendant infringed its trade marks and amounted to the tort of malicious falsehood. Held: There was no dispute that the mark had been used. The Act could not be used to prevent any use of another’s trade mark in comparitive advertising. In this case the advertisement, though … Continue reading British Airways Plc v Ryanair Limited: ChD 25 Oct 2000
The Court considered whether the notification requirements of the UK sex offenders’ registration scheme constitute a penalty for the purposes of Article 7 or infringed the applicant’s rights under Article 8. Held: They did not. As to article 8: ‘The Court notes that the applicant has referred to newspaper reports of vigilante attacks on paedophiles … Continue reading Adamson v United Kingdom: ECHR 1999
The complainant requested a copy of a report written by a senior officer of the public authority regarding an investigation into alleged corruption at Hartlepool Borough Council between 1996 and 1998. The public authority said that it was unable to locate the final report following extensive enquiries but it had located an interim report into … Continue reading Cleveland Police (Decision Notice): ICO 23 Feb 2009
EAT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Amendment Although the Claimant had apparently considered he might have been subjected to detriment and subsequently dismissed for making protected disclosures, when he lodged his ET claim he did not include such a claim but made complaints of unfair dismissal (under section 98 Employment Rights Act 1996) and unlawful race … Continue reading A B Conteh v First Security (Guards) Ltd: EAT 11 Sep 2017
UNFAIR DISMISSAL – Reasonableness of dismissal Unfair dismissal – reasonableness of dismissal – section 98(4) Employment Rights Act 1996 The Claimant was dismissed for a reason relating to his conduct arising from an incident outside work, which had led to his arrest and in respect of which he then faced criminal charges. In pursuing his … Continue reading Cooper v National Crime Agency (Unfair Dismissal): EAT 16 Jun 2017
Liability in Damages on Statute Breach to be Clear Damages were to be awarded against a Local Authority for breach of statutory duty in a care case only if the statute was clear that damages were capable of being awarded. in the ordinary case a breach of statutory duty does not, by itself, give rise … Continue reading X (Minors) v Bedfordshire County Council; M (A Minor) and Another v Newham London Borough Council; Etc: HL 29 Jun 1995
The claimant anti-asbestos campaigners complained that the defendant investigators had infringed their various rights of privacy. They now sought discovery to support the claim. Held: the contents of the witness statements do show that it is more than speculative that these Claimants could, if their recollection was prompted by seeing documents, formulate a claim with … Continue reading Bains and Others v Moore and Others: QBD 15 Feb 2017
These proceedings raise, for the first time in the courts of the United Kingdom, the question how the concepts of sufficiency and infringement are to be applied to a patent relating to a specified medical use of a known pharmaceutical compound. Four issues arose: (i) the construction of the claims (in particular, Claim 3 as … Continue reading Warner-Lambert Company Llc v Generics (UK) Ltd (T/A Mylan) and Another: SC 14 Nov 2018
COURT (PLENARY) The complainant asserted that his telephone conversation had been tapped on the authority of a warrant signed by the Secretary of State, but that there was no system to supervise such warrants, and that it was not therefore in ‘accordance with law’. The taps were based on a non-binding and unpublished directive from … Continue reading Malone v The United Kingdom: ECHR 2 Aug 1984
The claimant alleged infringement by the defendant of assorted intellectual property rights in its database. It provided systems for recovering materials deleted from Nokia mobile phones. Held: ‘the present case is concerned with a collection of numerical data . . the individual items of data are not protected by copyright. It follows that the collection … Continue reading Forensic Telecommunications Services Ltd v West Yorkshire Police and Another: ChD 9 Nov 2011
The Directive required member states to exempt from VAT, services involving the provision of insurance, and for intermediaries. Following the Regulator’s involvement, the principal company had to arrange for the checking of existing policies, and the implementation of compensation arrangements, and sub-contracted it to the taxpayer. Had the principal privided the services itself, it would … Continue reading Commissioners of Customs and Excise v Century Life Plc: CA 19 Dec 2000
Questions on Entry must be answered B was questioned at an airport under Schedule 7 to the 2000 Act, and required to answer questions asked by appropriate officers for the purpose set out. She refused to answer and was convicted of that refusal , contrary to paragraph 18 of that Schedule. She appealed, saying that … Continue reading Beghal v Director of Public Prosecutions: SC 22 Jul 2015
Same Sex Partner Entitled to tenancy Succession The protected tenant had died. His same-sex partner sought a statutory inheritance of the tenancy. Held: His appeal succeeded. The Fitzpatrick case referred to the position before the 1998 Act: ‘Discriminatory law undermines the rule of law because it is the antithesis of fairness. It brings the law … Continue reading Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza: HL 21 Jun 2004
apishristovichECJ2009 Europa Directive 96/9/EC Legal protection of databases – Sui generis right – Obtaining, verification or presentation of the contents of a database – Extraction – Substantial part of the contents of a database – Database containing official legal data.APIS had collected a database of legal materials. They alleged unlawful extraction and re-utilisation by the … Continue reading Apis-Hristovich v Lakorda AD (Approximation Of Laws): ECJ 5 Mar 2009
The appellant had been unsuccessful in litigation against his former bank. The Financial Services Authority had subsequently investigated his complaint against the bank. Using section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998, he requested disclosure of his personal data held by the bank. The Financial Services Authority disclosed some copies of documents relating to the … Continue reading Durant v Financial Services Authority: CA 8 Dec 2003
The claimant appealed against the denial of her claim that the defendant had infringed her right to respect for her private life. She was a model who had proclaimed publicly that she did not take drugs, but the defendant had published a story showing a picture of her leaving a drug addiction clinic, along with … Continue reading Campbell v Mirror Group Newspapers Ltd (MGN) (No 1): HL 6 May 2004
Nature of Confidentiality in Information The appellant plaintiff company had employed the defendant as sales manager. The contract of employment made no provision restricting use of confidential information. He left to set up in competition. The company now sought to prevent him using confidential information for this purpose. Held: The information and the advantage flowing … Continue reading Faccenda Chicken Ltd v Fowler: CA 1986
The House was asked whether an action for unlawful means conspiracy was available against a participant in a missing trader intra-community, or carousel, fraud. The company appealed a finding of liability saying that the VAT Act and Regulations contained the entire regime. Held: Criminal conduct at common law or by statute can constitute unlawful means … Continue reading Total Network Sl v Revenue and Customs: HL 12 Mar 2008
The claimant sought judicial review of legislative provisions requiring Internet Service Providers to become involved in regulation of copyright infringements by its subscribers. They asserted that the Act and proposed Order were contrary to European law. Held: The request was refused. No obligation had yet fallen on the claimant, and the exact form and rules … Continue reading British Telecommunications Plc and Another, Regina (on The Application of) v The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills: Admn 20 Apr 2011
Employer can be liable for Managers Harassment The claimant employee sought damages, saying that he had been bullied by his manager and that bullying amounting to harassment under the 1997 Act. The employer now appealed a finding that it was responsible for a tort committed by a manager, saying that the intention of the Act … Continue reading Majrowski v Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust: HL 12 Jul 2006
(Grand Chamber) The applicants complained that on being arrested on suspicion of offences, samples of their DNA had been taken, but then despite being released without conviction, the samples had retained on the Police database. Held: (Unanimous) The retention was unlawful. Though other member states retained some DNA samples in certain conditions, the UK was … Continue reading Marper v United Kingdom; S v United Kingdom: ECHR 4 Dec 2008
The appellants said that the 2004 Act infringed their rights under articles 8 11 and 14 and Art 1 of protocol 1. Held: Article 8 protected the right to private and family life. Its purpose was to protect individuals from unjustified intrusion by state agents into the private sphere within which they expected to be … Continue reading Countryside Alliance and others, Regina (on the Application of) v Attorney General and Another: HL 28 Nov 2007
In each case it was said that the requested patent concerned an invention consisting of a computer program, and was not therefore an invention and was unpatentable. In one case a patent had been revoked on being challenged, and in the other, the appeal was against refusal. Held: Jacob LJ said: ‘the court must approach … Continue reading Aerotel Ltd v Telco Holdings Ltd and others, In re Patent Application GB 0314464.9 in the name of Neal Macrossan Rev 1: CA 27 Oct 2006
Right to be Forgotten is not absolute The two claimants separately had criminal convictions from years before. They objected to the defendant indexing third party web pages which included personal data in the form of information about those convictions, which were now spent. The claims were in Data Protection and the common law tort of … Continue reading NT 1 and NT 2 v Google Llc: QBD 13 Apr 2018
The claimant complained that after alleging unlawful interception of his communications, the hearing before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal was not attended by appropriate safeguards. He had been a campaigner against police abuse. His requests to . .
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