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United Kingdom duty of careliability for third partiespublic authority liability

Dorset Yacht Co Ltd v Home Office

[1970] AC 1004; [1970] UKHL 2
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
CourtHouse of Lords
Year1970
StatusBinding authority

Key Principle

A person having control or supervision over a third party may owe a duty of care to a claimant whose property is foreseeably at risk from the third party's conduct, so that public authorities (here Borstal officers) can be liable in negligence for failing to exercise reasonable care to prevent foreseeable damage caused by those in their charge.

Area of Law

Tort

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