Sporting Grounds: Who Is Liable?: “Latrobe Council v. Williams” [2007] TASSC 77

Article by David Slatyer, Partner and Angela Ormiston, Lawyer, Brisbane

In the recent decision of Latrobe Council v. Williams, the full court of the Supreme Court of Tasmania considered the scope of the duty of care owed by a local council and two football clubs to an AFL player who suffered severe fractures to his lower leg injury during a football game, when his foot landed on the cover of an irrigation outlet that was set into the ground of the field.

In a trial relating to liability only, the full court unanimously dismissed the appeal of the Latrobe Council, confirming that it was liable for the plaintiff’s injuries, however upheld the appeals of the Latrobe and East Devonport Football Clubs to determine that neither football club breached its duty of care to the plaintiff.