[2012] EWCA Civ 981

The Court of Appeal granted summary judgment to the defendant chief constables of two police forces in respect of claims for damages in negligence by the family of a woman who was killed by her ex-partner, having made an emergency call to the police which was not given immediate priority. Any police action in the course of investigating or suppressing crime could not generally be made the subject of an action and it was neither necessary nor appropriate for the factual issues in the case to be determined at trial. The merits of the family's claims under the European Convention on Human Rights art.2 would, however, have to be determined at trial.

CA (Civ Div) (Longmore LJ, Richards LJ, Davis LJ)

20/07/2012