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04 July 2013
Issue: 7567 / Categories: Features , Civil way
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Civil way: 5 July 2013

Judicial review: the fast show

“It’s for you” x 547

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (PFHA 1997) is an effective weapon in the armoury of the victim of nuisance creditors. In Ferguson v British Gas Trading Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 46, [2009] All ER (D) 80 (Feb) the claimant left British Gas and over five months thereafter was subjected to letter after letter and threat after threat to cut off her supply, start legal proceedings and report her to credit reference agencies—all without justification. She said she was brought to a considerable state of anxiety. The Court of Appeal refused to strike out her PFHA 1997 claim for damages. The conduct was capable of amounting to harassment in that it was oppressive and unacceptable.

Now in Roberts v Bank of Scotland plc [2013] All ER (D) 88 (Jun) the Court of Appeal has just upheld a PFHA 1997 award of £7,500 to the claimant customer of RBS who had exceeded her overdraft or credit limit on one of more of her accounts. Although she had made it plain that she did not

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

International hospitality and leisure specialist joins corporate team as partner

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Firm appoints head of intellectual property to drive northern growth

NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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