British Telecommunications Plc provided its own directory service. BT was licenced as a public telecommunications operator requiring it to provide telephone services on request to anyone who sought them without discrimination. The claimant wanted to operate its own free service, and contracted with BT to use a line, but BT then gave notice to end … Continue reading Timeload Ltd v British Telecommunications plc: CA 1995
EAT CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT: Damages for breach of contract The proper approach to the assessment of damages for breach of a contract of employment in a case of wrongful dismissal is that explained in Shove v Downs Surgical plc [1984] IRLR 17. Citations: [2008] UKEAT 0145 – 08 – 2205 Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England and … Continue reading Global Crossing (UK) Telecommunications Ltd v Jones: EAT 22 May 2008
Judges: Lord Hodge, Deputy President Lord Sales Lord Leggatt Lord Burrows Lady Rose Citations: [2022] UKSC 18, [2022] WLR(D) 267 Links: Bailii, WLRD, Bailii – Summary, APW – Issues / Facts, Ashloch – Issues / Facts, Compton – Issues / Facts Statutes: Telecommunications Act 1984 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Utilities, Land Updated: 30 June 2022; … Continue reading Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd v Compton Beauchamp Estates Ltd: SC 22 Jun 2022
A statutory condition precluded magistrates from making the order they did unless a juvenile offender who was not legally represented had been refused legal aid, or had been informed of his right to apply for it but had refused or neglected to do so. These conditions had not been met and so the magistrates had … Continue reading McC v Mullan; In re McC (A Minor): HL 1984
The Secretary of State’s decision on the grant of a Telecommunications licence was challengeable by Summons and not by Judicial Review. A dispute between Mercury and BT as to charges as set by the Director General is a private not a public dispute. The purpose of the rule of procedural exclusivity was stated to be … Continue reading Mercury Communications Ltd v Director General of Telecommunications and Another: HL 10 Feb 1995
The court considered the correct approach to calculating damages for breach of an employment contract, and in particular in the context of income tax on any award over the andpound;30,000 limit, and the need to gross up any award. Citations: [1984] IRLR 17, [1984] ICR 532 Cited by: Approved – Global Crossing (UK) Telecommunications Ltd … Continue reading Shove v Downs Surgical plc: 1984
Complaint was made that the defendants were assisting traders in Ecuador in passing off their products as those of the plaintiff. Held: ‘He [defence counsel] submitted that there can never be a tort where the English exporter exports nothing but the malt whisky, that being something which is susceptible of being used innocently in the … Continue reading White Horse Distillers Ltd v Gregson Associates Ltd: 1984
A person against whom an order is made must obey it until it is discharged. Citations: (1984) FSR 263 Cited by: Cited – Motorola Credit Corporation v Uzan and others (No 2) CA 12-Jun-2003 World-wide freezing orders had been made under the 1982 Act. The defendants were members of a Turkish family with substantial business … Continue reading Wardle Fabrics Ltd v G Myristis Ltd: 1984
The Director General of Telecommunications can quite properly use his powers and discretion to ensure competition in telecommunications by the granting and withholding of licences. He may take account of economic factors in making such a decision. Section 3 draws a distinction between ‘means’ (namely how the demand is to be met) and ‘ends’ (the … Continue reading Regina v Director General of Telecommunications, Ex P Cellcom Ltd and others: QBD 7 Dec 1998
The applicants sought to challenge a proposed scheme regulating the prices of telephone calls. Held: The principle objection was to termination charges, charges on calls between networks. The present charges were greater than the actual cost, and had the effect of transferring to users of fixed network telephones costs which were properly attributable to mobile … Continue reading Regina on the Application of T-Mobile (Uk) Ltd, Vodafone Ltd, Orange Personal Communication Services Ltd v The Competition Commission, the Director-General of Telecommunications: Admn 27 Jun 2003
Registration of a distinctive Internet domain name using registered trade marks and company names could be an infringement of a registered Trade Mark, and also passing off. It was proper to grant quia timet injunctions where necessary to stop registration: ‘a jurisdiction to grant injunctive relief where a defendant is equipped with or is intending … Continue reading British Telecommunications Plc; Virgin Enterprises Ltd; J Sainsbury Plc; Marks and Spencer Plc and Ladbroke Group Plc v One In a Million Ltd and others: CA 23 Jul 1998
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Once rights by way of licences had been granted to a party by virtue of a statute, an amendment to those licences required the Secretary to be explicit with Parliament when altering the licences. The Act provided clear rules for making amendments to licences. The Secretary purported to amend the licences to comply with a … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry ex parte Orange Personal Communications Ltd and Another: Admn 25 Oct 2000
This appeal concerns the extent of a statutory guarantee given by the Secretary of State under section 68 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 upon the privatisation in 1984 of the British Telecommunications Corporation, a statutory corporation, by way of the flotation of the newly formed British Telecommunications plc. It concerns, in particular, the application of … Continue reading Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport v BT Pension Scheme Trustees Ltd and Others: CA 16 Jul 2014
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PC (Anguilla) A first non-religious radio station had been formed, but came to include much criticism of the government. One programme was suspended by the government. The programme makers complained that this interfered with their constitutioinal and human rights to freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination. Held: The motive in closing … Continue reading Benjamin, Vanderpool and Gumbs v The Minister of Information and Broadcasting and The Attorney General for Anguilla: PC 14 Feb 2001
The OFT had considered whether it was necessary to refer a merger between two companies to the Competition Commission, and decided against. The Competition Appeal Tribunal held that the proposed merger should have been referred. The OFT and parties appealed. Held: The Tribunal had misdirected itself as to one test. The statutory test required the … Continue reading Office of Fair Trading and others v IBA Health Limited: CA 19 Feb 2004
Women had taken extended maternity leave, but having followed the procedures, had been unable for illness to return to work on the day they had notified. The employer then asserted that the claimants had resigned. The EAT had confirm that they had not been unfairly dismissed. Held: The legislation provided ‘special protection for the security … Continue reading Kwik Save Stores Limited v Greaves; Crees v Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited: CA 20 Jan 1998
Three serving police officers provided confidential information to a known criminal. The Chief Constable authorised interception of telephones at a police station, a private network. The court accepted that section 17 prevented the defence asserting that the interception had taken place on the public side of the system, and therefore admission of other evidence would … Continue reading W, Regina v (Attorney General’s reference no 5 of 2002): CACD 12 Jun 2003
The defendant had used public telephones to cause nuisance, annoyance, harassment, alarm and distress. He had made hundreds of obscene telephone calls to at least 13 women, and was convicted of causing a public nuisance. He argued that no call caused distress to more than one person, and that it was wrong to aggregate them. … Continue reading Regina v Johnson: CACD 14 May 1996
EAT Equal Pay Act – Equal value When an Independent Expert has been appointed by an Employment Tribunal to report on an equal value question, rule 11(4) of Sched 6 to Employment Tribunal Regulations 2004 allows a party to call another expert provided this evidence does not challenge the facts. When an IE did not … Continue reading Middlesbrough Borough Council v Surtees and others: EAT 24 Aug 2007
World-wide freezing orders had been made under the 1982 Act. The defendants were members of a Turkish family with substantial business interests in the telecommunications industry. In breach of orders made in the US some defendants had sought to hide their assets. They had failed to respond as required to orders to disclose their assest, … Continue reading Motorola Credit Corporation v Uzan and others (No 2): CA 12 Jun 2003
The mother sought leave to call in evidence in proceedings for contact, an affidavit sworn by the father’s previous solicitors when applying to be removed from the record, which related the contents of telephone calls from the father to their offices. The affidavit had been served by mistake on the mother’s solicitors. It showed the … Continue reading Curtis v Curtis: CA 8 Mar 2001
The defendant had made a series of racist and abusive calls to the office of his local MP. The prosecutor appealed a refusal to convict under the 1984 (now the 2003) Act. The defendant had argued that the messages had been offensive, but not grossly so. Held: The prosecutor’s appeal succeeded. ‘The purpose of the … Continue reading Director of Public Prosecutions v Collins: HL 19 Jul 2006
The defendant had, over a period of time, telephoned his MP’s office using racially abusive epithets. He was originally charged under the 1984 Act, but then under the 2003 Act. The magistrates found the remarks offensive, but not so grossly offensive as to constitute an offence under the Act. The prosecutor appealed. Held: The appeal … Continue reading Director of Public Prosecutions v Collins: Admn 23 Jun 2005
The plaintiff whisky distiller claimed in passing-off against the defendant who supplied bottles and labels to a distiller in Ecuador. Held: An injunction was granted. Having cited from Singer v Loog, the court added: ‘I would be slow to decide that if a trader in England sells goods and labels which are true and has … Continue reading John Walker and Sons Ltd v Henry Ost and Co Ltd: ChD 1970
The applicants challenged permission granted to erect mobile phone masts, saying that the operators should have made application to the County Court. Held: the provisions referred to allowed the company to follow a county court procedure where they wanted to impose a mast. The provisions did not impose any obligation on the company to follow … Continue reading St Leger-Davey and Another v First Secretary of State and others: CA 1 Dec 2004
Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation – Articles 2(1), 16(1) and 70 of the TRIPs Agreement – Trade marks – Scope of the proprietor’s exclusive right to the trade mark – Alleged use of the sign as a trade name. Citations: C-245/02, [2004] EUECJ C-245/02, [2004] I-10989 Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: European Citing: See Also – … Continue reading Anheuser-Busch v Budejovicky Budvar, narodni podnik: ECJ 16 Nov 2004
The claimant alleged infringement of its copyright in a software system which dealt with airline reservations. It was not said that any code had been copied, but merely that an express requirement of the defendant ordering the system was that it should appear similar to the claimant’s system; it should have its look and feel. … Continue reading Navitaire Inc v Easyjet Airline Co and Another: ChD 30 Jul 2004
The claimant challenged the rating of the land it had used for the erection of a mobile ohone mast. Held: Even though the company had the statutory right to place a mast in this location and without payment, for rating purposes the officer could ask what would be the cost of the company taking a … Continue reading Orange PCS v Alan Roy Bradford (Valuation Officer): CA 17 Feb 2004
The claimant challenged a stautory notice. The Act required the notice to be fixed to the structure in question, but because of its location, the notice was not legible without going on to private land. Held: Appeal lay here from the County Court on a preliminary decision on the law to the Court of appeal … Continue reading Sarah Lloyd Jones and others v T Mobile (Uk) Ltd: CA 31 Jul 2003
1. Under the procedure provided for by Article 177 of the Treaty, it is for the national court to assess the scope of national provisions and the manner in which they are to be applied. Since the national court is best placed to assess, in view of the particularities of the case, the need for … Continue reading CIA Security International v Signalson and Securitel: ECJ 30 Apr 1996
The claimants sought a declaration that part of the Regulations were invalid, and an infringement of their human rights. The Regulations sought to exempt church schools from an obligation not to discriminate against homosexual teachers. Held: The Regulation was within the scope of the Directive. Though a member state had some freedom in implementing a … Continue reading Regina (Amicus etc) v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry: Admn 26 Apr 2004
The tenant appealed dismissal of his claim for damages. He had suffered serious injury after inhaling carbon monoxide fumes from a defective gas fire. The fire had not been maintained and a fall of soot eventually prevented the escape of fumes. Held: The appeal succeeded, and the defendant was 80% liable for the injury. Where … Continue reading Sykes v Harry and Trustee of Estate of Harry, a Bankrupt: CA 1 Feb 2001
Legal Aid was wrongfully refused where a tax or fine defaulter was liable to imprisonment, and the lack of a proper means enquiry, made imprisonment of poll tax defaulter unlawful. A poll tax defaulter had been wrongly committed to prison by magistrates. The question was whether or not they had acted in excess of jurisdiction. … Continue reading Benham v United Kingdom: ECHR 8 Feb 1995
K, aged 16, had left home to join what was said to be a religious sect. His whereabouts were unknown. He had been made a ward of court and the Official Solicitor was appointed to represent his interests. He had sent messages to say that he was well and did not wish to return. The … Continue reading Kelly (A Minor) v British Broadcasting Corporation: FD 25 Jul 2000
Identification of Company’s Directing Mind In a prosecution under the 1968 Act, the court discussed how to identify the directing mind and will of a company, and whether employees remained liable when proper instructions had been given to those in charge of a local store. Held: ‘In the expression ‘act or default’ in section 23 … Continue reading Tesco Supermarkets Ltd v Nattrass: HL 31 Mar 1971
The Secretary of State had misused his licensing powers under the Act to attempt to oblige the licensee to accept changes in the licence he already held. They had the right to bid at auction along wit hall others, and could not be required to agree to amendments to existing licenses as a condition of … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, ex parte Mercury Personal Communications Ltd: QBD 14 Sep 1999
The employer had entrusted the task of organising a safe system of work to an employee as a result of whose negligence another employee was injured. The employer could not have been held liable for its own negligence, since it had taken all reasonable care in entrusting the job to a competent employee, nor could … Continue reading Wilsons and Clyde Coal Co Ltd v English: HL 19 Jul 1937
The claimant had applied for judicial review of a decision by the defendant to seek to recover a debt from them. The issue had however been settled in the County Court. Costs were ordered against them, and they now appealed. In a small company the chief manager and owner suffered a severe head injury, and … Continue reading Valentines Homes and Construction Ltd, Regina (on The Application of) v HM Revenue and Customs: CA 31 Mar 2010
The system under which the registered keeper of a vehicle was obliged to identify herself as the driver, and such admission was to be used subsequently as evidence against her on a charge of driving with excess alcohol, was not a breach of her right to a fair trial. The right not to give evidence … Continue reading Stott (Procurator Fiscal, Dunfermline) and Another v Brown: PC 5 Dec 2000
The claimant was a male to female trans-sexual who had been refused employment as a police officer by the respondent, who had said that the staturory requirement for males to search males and for females to search females would be impossible to comply with. She had sought to be employed on the basis that her … Continue reading A v West Yorkshire Police: HL 6 May 2004
The claimant’s husband had been lost from the defendant’s ship at sea. The defendant had contracted to pay compensation unless the loss was by suicide. They so determined. The court was now asked whether that was a permissible conclusion in the circumstances: ‘This case raises two inter-linked questions of principle, one general and one particular. … Continue reading Braganza v BP Shipping Ltd: SC 18 Mar 2015
The defendant appealed by case stated against his conviction under section 127 of the 2003 Act. Becoming frustrated with its inefficiency he issued a tweet, which was said to have been a threat: ‘Crap! Robin Hood Airport is closed. You’ve got a week and a bit to get your shit together otherwise I am blowing … Continue reading Chambers v Director of Public Prosecutions: QBD 27 Jul 2012
Account taken of circumstances wihout ambiguity The respondent gave advice on home income plans. The individual claimants had assigned their initial claims to the scheme, but later sought also to have their mortgages in favour of the respondent set aside. Held: Investors having once assigned their causes of action to the ICS, could not later … Continue reading Investors Compensation Scheme Ltd v West Bromwich Building Society: HL 19 Jun 1997
The pursuer sought damages after her husband’s death from lung cancer. She said that the defenders were negligent in having continued to sell him cigarettes knowing that they would cause this. Held: The action failed. The plaintiff had not proved that the smoking of cigarettes was the cause of the lung cancer, and it was … Continue reading McTear v Imperial Tobacco Ltd: OHCS 31 May 2005
The industrial tribunal had made a finding of direct race discrimination. The Employment Appeal Tribunal found the decision perverse, and ordered a rehearing. The applicant appealed that order. Held: The EAT must be careful not to take disagreements as to findings on facts as faults in law. No appeal on a question of law should … Continue reading Yeboah v Crofton: CA 31 May 2002
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 defendant had been convicted, under regulations made under the Act, of smoking in a railway carriage. He sought to challenge the validity of the regulations themselves. He wanted to argue that the power to ban smoking on carriages did not . .
The courts adopt an approach similar to that of the United States courts where there has been a significant contempt on the part of a party to litigation. Denning LJ said: ‘Those cases seem to me to point the way to the modern rule. It is a strong . .
In a case where a contemnor not only fails wilfully and contumaciously to comply with an order of the court but makes it clear that he will continue to defy the court’s authority if the order should be affirmed on appeal, the court must have a . .
The plaintiffs appealed against refusal of an interlocutory injunction restraining the Defendants, ‘Mercury’ from withdrawing from Zockoll the use of a particular telephone number, 0500 354448. Immediately upon that Order being made, Mercury . .
Our law-index is a substantial selection from our database. Cases here are restricted in number by date and lack the additional facilities formerly available within lawindexpro. Please do enjoy this free version of the lawindex. Case law does not ‘belong’ to lawyers. Judgments are made up of words which can be read and understood (if … Continue reading law index
