Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (Appellant) v Darwin Azad Sahadath and another (Respondents) (Trinidad and Tobago)
Case ID: JCPC 2019/0123
Jurisdiction: Court of Appeal of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Case summary
Issue
(i) Whether the Appellant was negligent.
(ii) Whether the trial judge had sufficient evidence to conclude that the Appellant’s pipeline was the cause of the damage to the Respondents’ home.
Facts
The Respondents own a house located on a downwards slope in Iere Village in Trinidad. The Respondents’ house was significantly damaged between 2012 and 2015 as a result of it sliding down the slope. The house became unfit for occupancy in November 2015. The Appellant is responsible for the development and control of water supply and sewerage facilities in Trinidad and Tobago. Prior to February 2014, a pipeline operated by the Appellant was located underground in proximity to the Respondent’s property. The Respondents brought a claim alleging that the pipeline had been leaking since 2012 leading the soil in the vicinity of their house to become saturated, which in turn caused the house to slide downslope. The High Court found for the Respondents and awarded them $2,218,954 in damages (plus interest). The Appellant appealed, challenging the trial judge’s finding of fact that the cause of the landslide and therefore damage to the Respondent’s house was their leaking pipeline. The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s decision. The Court of Appeal granted the Appellant leave to appeal to the Privy Council in July 2019.
Parties
Appellant(s)
Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago
Respondent(s)
Darwin Azad Sahadath and another
Appeal
Justices
Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Kitchin, Lord Leggatt, Lord Burrows, Lady Rose
Hearing start date
25 October 2022
Hearing finish date
25 October 2022
| Watch hearing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 2022 | Morning session | |
Judgment details
Judgment date
22 December 2022
Neutral citation
[2022] UKPC 56