TK/Cr.

Law/19-20/PCL

Case-Sheet on Omissions
Note: Students must note that case-sheets have minimum and highly important cases that students should learn
towards a topic. They can of course prepare much larger number of cases, if they please.

1. Offence capable to be committed through Omissions

Shama 1990, Firth 1990, Ahmed 1986, Dunn 2015 (compare with Speck 1977), Fagan v. MPC
1969, Miller 1983

2. Legal Duty to Act

a. Contractual
Pittwood 1902, Singh 1999

b. Statutory Liability
Shama 1990, Firth 1990, Ahmed 1986, Greener v. DPP 1996

c. Common Law
i) Relationship
Gibbons & Proctor 1918, Stone & Dobinson 1977, Hood 2003, Smith 1979,
Shepherd 1862, Lewin 2002, Ruffell 2003, Beardsley 1907, Evans 2009, Willoughby
2005
ii) Voluntary Assumption of Responsibility
Stone & Dobinson 1977, Instan 1893, Nicholls 1874, Gibbons & Proctor 1918
iii) Public Service
Dytham 1979
iv) Creating Dangerous Situation
Miller 1983, Khan and Khan 1998, Evans 2009, Ruffell 2003, Willoughby 2005
v) Doctor-Patient relationship
Basis of legal duty: Relationship, Public Service, Could be Contractual,
Assumption of Responsibility

NHS Airedale Trust v. Bland 1993, Re T 1993, Re A (Conjoined Twins) 2000

3. Breach of Duty
This is a question of fact for jury to decide.
Examples can be taken from Stone & Dobinson 1977, Ruffell 2003, Greener v. DPP 1996
4. Failure to Act must be voluntary

5. D’s omission should cause the harm

Morby 1882, Dalloway 1847