In Hill v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire (1987), the mother of Jacqueline Hill, a victim of the Yorkshire Ripper, sued the police for negligence, due to their failure to apprehend the murderer. The court ruled that the police owed a general duty to the public, not to individuals.
This case law note has been reviewed by a law tutor
🏛️ Court: Court Court of Appeal (Civil Division) 🗓️ Judgment Date: 19 February 1987 🗂️ Where Reported: [1988] Q.B. 60; [1987] 2 W.L.R. 1126; [1987] 1 All E.R. 1173 📍 Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
⚖️ Legal Principles
1️⃣
Duty of Care and Police Liability: The court concluded that the police have a general duty to enforce the law but do not owe a specific duty of care to individual members of the public, even in situations where police action might have prevented harm.