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DIY harassment law

04 January 2007
Issue: 7254 / Categories: Features
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After 11 years people are realising that harassment is not just about stalking, but at what price? Tim Lawson Cruttenden and Catherine Atkinson report

 Majrowski v Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust; Tuppen v Microsoft
 PHA 1997, s 3(6)—a radical section?

Finally, after 11 years, people are realising that harassment is not just about stalking. Majrowski v Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust [2005] EWCA Civ 251, [2005] All ER (D) 273 (Mar), Singh v Bhakar (2006) 150 SJLB 1112 and Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford v Broughton [2006] EWHC 1233 (QB), [2006] All ER (D) 387 (May) demonstrate harassment law’s potential.

The application of harassment law to all forms of harassment whether at work, in the home, by alleged extremists, or otherwise, is welcome. However, there are worryingly rapid developments with the merging of civil and criminal law that need to be fully debated.

It is 11 years since the landmark case of Burris v Azadani [1995] 4 All ER 802, [1995] 1 WLR 1372 which arguably created the civil tort of harassment,

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DWF—19 appointments

DWF—19 appointments

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