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''Tomlinson v Congleton Borough Council'' UKHL 47
is a 2003 court case in England">003
UKHL 47
is a 2003 court case in England from the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
regarding the torts of negligence and occupiers' liability (the latter regarding the Occupiers' Liability Act 1984). It was a landmark case that has been regarded as an attempt to stem the development of a "compensation culture" in the UK.


Litigation

The case originated in the
High Court of Justice The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal (England and Wales), Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Courts of England and Wales, Senior Cour ...
, after which it proceeded to the
Court of Appeal of England and Wales The Court of Appeal (formally "His Majesty's Court of Appeal in England", commonly cited as "CA", "EWCA" or "CoA") is the highest court within the Senior Courts of England and Wales, and second in the legal system of England and Wales only to ...
. In the latter case, the Lords Justice of Appeal held in favour of Tomlinson, the claimant. However, this decision was reversed by the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
.


Facts

In May 1995, the
claimant A plaintiff ( Π in legal shorthand) is the party who initiates a lawsuit (also known as an ''action'') before a court. By doing so, the plaintiff seeks a legal remedy. If this search is successful, the court will issue judgment in favor of the ...
, John Tomlinson (then aged 18), visited an artificial lake, part of a country park in
Brereton, Cheshire Brereton is a civil parish in the Cheshire East district, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. At the 2011 census, the population was 1,190. Brereton is mentioned in the Domesday book as the Manor of Bretune. The civil parish includ ...
in the borough of
Congleton Congleton is a market town and civil parish in Cheshire East, Cheshire, England. It is on the River Dane, south of Manchester and north of Stoke on Trent. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 28,497 and the built-up area ha ...
, with his friends. While there, Tomlinson dived into the water and hit his head on the sandy bottom, leaving him tetraplegic as a result of a break to the fifth vertebra of his neck. He subsequently brought proceedings against Congleton Borough Council under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1984 (as a trespasser), claiming for loss of earnings, loss of quality of life and the cost of the care he would require as a result of his injuries.


Judgment

Tomlinson contended that the council owed him a duty under section 1(1) of the 1984 act as the premises were not reasonably safe for his use, claiming that there had not been adequate warning of the dangers of diving in the water. However, it was the counter argument of the council that he ceased to become a visitor (1957 act) once he entered the lake as he entered an area (a lake) that was out of bounds to him (see Hillen v ICI (Alkali) Ltd 936AC 65, p69). The claimant contended that he was, on the grounds that the council met the conditions of subsection 3 of the 1984 act and that they were aware of the ineffectiveness of the warning signs. Accordingly, the question became whether or not the claimant was owed a duty under the 1984 act. The council contended that they had taken measures to prevent people from swimming in the lake including warning signs and park ranger patrols. There were still concerns from the council that despite "every reasonable precaution had now been taken, but it was recognised that some foolhardy persons would continue to put their lives at risk." Following a number of near-death incidents involving attempted-swimming by drunk visitors, the council eventually began to remove the attractive features of the lake to discourage visitors from venturing close to it. It was at this point that Mr Tomlinson decided to dive into the lake. The council argued that they had done everything reasonably possible to ensure the safety of visitors and the lake itself was not the danger, so much as the disregard to warnings and the actions of the public. This argument was upheld by Lords Nicholls and
Hoffmann Hoffmann is a German language, German surname. People A *Adolph Hoffmann (1858–1930), German politician *Albert Hoffmann (horticulturist), Albert Hoffmann (1846–1924), German horticulturist *Alexander Hoffmann (politician), Alexander Hoffma ...
in the statement: Eventually, after a lengthy report, the council's argument was accepted and their appeal was allowed on two key grounds: * The claimant's injuries were not due to the "state of the premises" * The grounds of
public policy (law) In private international law, the public policy doctrine or (French: "public order") concerns the body of principles that underpin the operation of legal systems in each state. This addresses the social, moral and economic values that tie ...
holding that, to decide in the claimant's favour would discourage the council from providing facilities for individuals to enjoy themselves Lord Hobhouse stated on the second point:


Reception

The ruling was considered landmark as it stated that individuals must take responsibility for their own actions. It was seen as attempting to stem a "compensation culture" that was perceived to be growing in the UK, but which some say are exaggerated and that the law will protect potentially risky but "useful activities"


See also

* Occupiers' liability (English law) * Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 * Occupiers' Liability Act 1984 * '' Donoghue v Folkestone Properties Ltd''


References

{{reflist, 2 English tort case law English occupier case law House of Lords cases 2003 in United Kingdom case law Congleton 2000s in Cheshire