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11 May 2012 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 7513 / Categories: Blogs
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Strange but true

It’s only fools & horses for Dominic Regan

Minor mishaps can have massive consequences. For example, had Greater Manchester Police purchased batteries from a reputable supplier rather than the equivalent of a market stall in Bury, the case of Donachie v The Chief Constable of the Greater Manchester Police [2004] EWCA Civ 405, [2004] All ER (D) 126 (Apr) would never have started, let alone gone to the Court of Appeal. The claimant was a police officer. He was required to attach a tagging device to the underside of a villain’s car. Were he detected in the act it was likely that he would suffer horrific treatment. Unfortunately, the tagging device was fitted with a cheap battery that failed, so the poor man had to clamber under the vehicle eight times before at last achieving the desired result. He developed psychiatric injury and recovered substantial damages, all for the want of an Eveready battery.

Hapless workmen

The errant workman is a dream come true for litigation practitioners. In December last year, the Court

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DWF—David Abbott & Claire Keat

DWF—David Abbott & Claire Keat

Senior appointments in insurance services and commercial services announced

Clyde & Co—Nick Roberts

Clyde & Co—Nick Roberts

Aviation disputes practice strengthened by London partner hire

Ellisons—Marion Knocker

Ellisons—Marion Knocker

Residential property lawyer promoted to partnership

NEWS
Prosecutors will speed up preparations for charging hate crimes, under Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance issued in response to the surge in antisemitic incidents
Improvements to courts, tribunals and the wider justice system in the north are being held back by a lack of national and local collaboration, according to thinktank JUSTICE North
A family judge has criticised the prison authorities for mistakenly freeing a father who abducted his own son
The Law Society has renewed its calls for compensation for legal aid firms affected by the cyber-attack on the Legal Aid Agency (LAA)
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has secured a £10m penalty plus £4.8m in costs from manufacturer Ultra Electronics Holdings, under the terms of a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) for failure to prevent bribery
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