The mental health cases on this site are structured into categories and (where appropriate) sub-categories:

• To browse through categories and cases, click on the [+] and [-] symbols as appropriate.

• To view summaries of all cases within a category, click on the category name.

• To view a particular case, click on the case name (which will be listed under the relevant category).

Mental Health Law Online currently contains 1130 categorised cases. In addition, some Cases to be added have been identified (no transcript or summary available for these). See also Settled cases and forthcoming judgments.

Case law by category

[−] Mental health case law‎ (5 categories, 2 pages)

[+] Case law - by jurisdiction‎ (4 categories, 1 pages)

[+] Case law - by subject matter‎ (16 categories)

[+] Case law - by summary type‎ (3 categories)

[+] Case law - by year‎ (30 categories)

[+] Case law - transcript or no transcript‎ (2 categories)

  Cases to be added

  Settled cases and forthcoming judgments

Your contributions

If you have been involved in a case not listed here, or have a transcript that is not yet on Bailii, then please get in touch. See Help page for contact details. Also on that page is an explanation of how to create new pages, edit existing ones, and categorise pages.

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Recently-added cases

The following are the most recently-added 2012 cases:

Page and summary	Date added to site	Categories
Wychavon District Council v EM (HB) (2012) UKUT 12 (AAC), (2012) MHLO 5 — The UT judge reviewed his previous decision because he had overlooked a legislative provision which could have had a material effect on the decision: in this case MCA 2005 s7, which provides that 'If necessary goods or services are supplied to a person who lacks capacity to contract for the supply, he must pay a reasonable price for them.' (1) Although the purported tenancy agreement between P and her father was void because the lack of capacity was known, under s7 P was still 'liable to make payments in respect of the dwelling which she occupies as her home' so she was entitled to benefits under the Housing Benefits Regulations 2006. (2) Even if 'services' in s7 is not wide enough to cover the provision of accommodation, the common law rules as to necessaries survive and the provision of accommodation is an obvious necessary.	2012-02-04	2012 cases, Brief summary, Other capacity cases, Transcript
Re JDS; Kevin Smyth v JDS (2012) COP 19334473 19/1/12, (2012) MHLO 4 — "This is an application for a gift to be made to the parents of a young man who has been awarded damages for clinical negligence. The purpose of the gift is to reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax that they may have to pay on his death." [Summary to follow.]	2012-01-27	2012 cases, Best interests, No summary, Transcript
Re H; A Local Authority v H (2012) EWHC 49 (COP), (2012) MHLO 3 — "On 15 December 2011 I made an order declaring H’s incapacity in many respects and making best interests declarations as to her future care. In particular I made an order declaring that H lacked capacity to consent to sexual relations and a consequential order to protect her best interests which was very restrictive and undoubtedly amounts to the deprivation of liberty. In those circumstances I reserved my reasons for making these orders with a view to handing them down without the need for attendance of any party. This I now do." [Summary to follow.]	2012-01-27	2012 cases, Capacity to consent to sexual relations, No summary, Other capacity cases, Transcript
R v Clinton (2012) EWCA Crim 2, (2012) MHLO 2 — In the new 'loss of control' partial defence to murder, which replaces the provocation defence, when determining whether a loss of self-control had a 'qualifying trigger' (as set out in s55(3) and (4) Coroners and Justice Act 2009) 'the fact that a thing done or said constituted sexual infidelity is to be disregarded' (s55(6)(c)). The Court of Appeal held that where sexual infidelity is integral to and forms an essential part of the context in which to make a just evaluation whether a qualifying trigger properly falls within the ambit of subsections 55(3) and (4), the prohibition in section 55(6)(c) does not operate to exclude it.	2012-01-17	2012 cases, Brief summary, Other criminal law cases, Transcript
Stanev v Bulgaria 36760/06 (2012) ECHR 46, (2012) MHLO 1 — (1) The applicant's placement in a social care home for people with mental disorders and his inability to obtain permission to leave the home led to breaches of Article 5(1), (4) and (5). (2) The living conditions in the home led to breaches of Article 3, and of Article 13 in conjunction with Article 3. (3) The lack of access to a court to seek release from partial guardianship breached Article 6(1). (4) No separate issue arose under Article 8 so it was unnecessary to examine that complaint. (5) Compensation of €15,000 was awarded.	2012-01-17	2012 cases, Brief summary, ECHR, ECHR deprivation of liberty cases, Other capacity cases, Transcript

The following are the 20 most recently-added cases with the exception of 2012 cases:

Page and summary	Date added to site	Categories
Re M (2011) EWHC 3590 (COP) — Under MCA 2005 s63 and schedule 3, which incorporates the Hague Convention on the International Protection of Adults 2000 into domestic law, the High Court recognised and gave effect to an order of the Southern Irish High Court which required M's transfer to and treatment at an English psychiatric hospital.	2012-02-04	2011 cases, Brief summary, Other capacity cases, Transcript
DM v Doncaster MBC (2011) EWHC 3652 (Admin) — DM sought to avoid the care home fees for her husband FM who was subject to the deprivation of liberty safeguards: the main argument was that the s22 National Assistance Act 1948 charging provision did not apply because the DOLS created a duty to accommodate within the meaning of s21(8). The court held that: (1) the MCA 2005 did not create either a duty or power to accommodate FM; (2) FM fell within the terms of s21 NAA and was not excluded from its scope by the operation of s21(8); (3) s3 HRA 1998 gave no reason to read down s21(8) to reach any other conclusion; (4) FM's accommodation had thus to be paid for by him or on his behalf, in accordance with s22 and regulations made under it; (5) this is not discriminatory upon an application of Article 14 read with Article 1 of Protocol 1 (FM was not materially in the same position as those who receive after-care under s117 MHA and the State would in any event have offered sufficient justification for the result); (6) ..→	2012-01-22	2011 cases, Brief summary, Other capacity cases, Transcript
The People (at the suit of the Director of Public Prosecutions) v McMahon (2011) IECCA 94 — The Southern Irish DPP appealed an 11.5-year sentence and invited the Criminal Court of Appeal to impose a life sentence as a form of preventive detention (akin to the English IPP sentence). The court held: 'The protection of the public is an appropriate factor in the exercise of the sentencing function, but it cannot be extracted from that function to create a self-standing judicially created jurisdiction to impose a form of preventive detention. Whether sentencing courts should have the power to order the detention of individuals deemed to posed an immediate threat to the public, over and beyond any appropriate sentence for the crime committed, is a matter which should be addressed in the first place by detailed legislation by the Oireachtas after appropriate research and debate, and subject to Constitutional and Convention review if appropriate.'	2012-01-20	2011 cases, Brief summary, Southern Irish cases, Transcript
Re AH (Costs); AH v Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (2011) EWHC 3524 (COP) — The relevant respondents were ordered to pay the costs of the nine applicants in this welfare case: (1) half the costs between issue of proceedings and settlement or final hearing, and (2) full costs of the costs application. The judge concluded: 'The conclusion I have reached in this case represents a partial departure from the general rule that there should be no order for costs. It is a case where there has been no bad faith or flagrant misconduct, but there has been substandard practice and a failure by the public bodies to recognise the weakness of their own cases and the strength of the cases against them. In such circumstances they cannot invoke Rule 157 at the expense of others.'	2012-01-12	2011 cases, Brief summary, COP costs cases, Transcript
Re Tucker (2011) COP 9/12/11 — The donor appointed one attorney and one replacement attorney and then directed as follows: "My replacement attorney shall only act if my attorney is unable to act by virtue of:- (a) the power to the attorney is revoked by me; or (b) the power is terminated by reason of the death, disclaimer or other incapacity of my attorney to act as my attorney; whichever shall first occur. For the avoidance of doubt my replacement attorney shall act alone if my attorney is not able to act." On the application of the Public Guardian the words "by virtue of:- (a) the power to the attorney is revoked by me; or (b) the power is terminated" were severed because revocation of the attorney's appointment is not one of the events listed in section 13(6)(a)-(d) of the MCA that trigger the activation of the appointment of a replacement attorney. [OPG summary - LPA case.]	2012-01-09	2011 cases, Brief summary, LPA cases - all, LPA cases - severance of invalid restrictions as to when a replacement attorney may act, No transcript
Re Evans (2011) COP 24/11/11 — The donor appointed A (his wife) and B as attorneys, to act jointly and severally, and C as replacement attorney. He then directed as follows: "My replacement attorney will replace both my attorneys and act alone if and when my wife becomes unable or unwilling to carry out her duties as my attorney." On the application of the Public Guardian the direction was severed because the donor was attempting to provide for attorney B to be replaced even though one of the triggering events for his replacement listed in section 13(6)(a)-(d) of the MCA had not occurred. [OPG summary - LPA case.]	2012-01-09	2011 cases, Brief summary, LPA cases - all, LPA cases - severance of invalid restrictions as to when a replacement attorney may act, No transcript
Re C; C v Blackburn and Darwen Borough Council (2011) EWHC 3321 (COP) — C was subject both to guardianship and the DOLS regime at a care home: (1) he was not ineligible for DOLS; (2) he was not deprived of his liberty, so the authorisation was set aside; (3) the authorisation had been lawful albeit perfunctory; (4) the restrictions were necessary; (5) the COP cannot decide on residence when a guardianship residence requirement remains in effect; (6) even if it could, it would only do so in exceptional circumstances; (7) the local authority was invited to reconsider the appropriateness of guardianship.	2012-01-05	2011 cases, Detailed summary, Other capacity cases, Transcript
Ms B v An NHS Hospital Trust (2002) EWHC 429 (Fam) — "The Claimant, whom I shall call Ms B, seeks declarations from the High Court in its exercise of the inherent jurisdiction. She claims that the invasive treatment which is currently being given by the respondent by way of artificial ventilation is an unlawful trespass. The respondent is the NHS Hospital Trust (the Trust) responsible for the hospital which is currently caring for Ms B, (the Hospital). At the request of the court the Official Solicitor instructed Mr Peter Jackson QC to act as Advocate to the Court. The main issue is whether Ms B has the capacity to make her own decision about her treatment in hospital. Underlying this important issue is the tragic story of an able and talented woman of 43 who has suffered a devastating illness which has caused her to become tetraplegic and whose expressed wish is not to be kept artificially alive by the use of a ventilator." [Paras 1 and 2 of judgment.]	2012-01-05	2002 cases, No summary, Other capacity cases, Transcript
Re Steven Neary; LB Hillingdon v Steven Neary (2011) EWHC 3522 (COP) — (1) Each application for costs must be considered on its own merit: the previous cases were illustrative only and provided no guidance on the Rules. (2) The judge departed from the general rule in welfare cases (that each party bears his own costs) as this was not a typical case: Hillingdon's actions were significantly unreasonable in relation to the illegality of its actions, its disorganised decision-making, the lack of a proper best interests assessment, its uncooperative attitude to Stephen's father, its delay in referring the matter to the court (thereby increasing costs), and its attempt to defend its actions to the end, both in court and in the media. (3) Hillingdon were ordered to pay the OS's costs from the date of issue to the conclusion of the main hearing in May 2011 but not (a) costs in relation to the press issue, which raised issues of general public importance, or (b) costs following the main hearing, during which Hilingdon adopted a cooperative stance. (4) The ..→	2012-01-04	2011 cases, Brief summary, COP costs cases, Transcript
DP v Hywel DDA Health Board (2011) UKUT 381 (AAC) — WP's order for his son DP's discharge was barred by the Responsible Clinician; WP was then advised by the responsible authority that he was not the nearest relative, and that therefore his order and the barring report were of no effect; on this basis the Tribunal rejected WP's subsequent application. DP appealed. (1) The judge treated the barring report as having been withdrawn (rather than never having been valid): because there was no report, the Tribunal had no jurisdiction, so it had been correct to reject the application. (2) If the barring report had not been withdrawn, the question would have been whether a nearest-relative application made by a non-nearest-relative can be rejected: this was left undecided (despite the clear wording of s66).	2012-01-03	2011 cases, Brief summary, Other NR cases, Transcript, Upper Tribunal decisions
Re VW; NK v VW (2011) COP 27/10/10 11744555 — NK sought (a) to have his mother VW removed from a care home (where she was detained under a DOLS authorisation) and placed in one more local to him, and consequently (b) to have more frequent contact than permitted by the current DOLS authorisation and (c) to be appointed welfare and financial deputy. He was refused permission to make his applications, because of medical evidence that to move VW would be detrimental to her welfare.	2012-01-02	2010 cases, Best interests, Brief summary, Transcript
SSJ v RB (2011) EWCA Civ 1608 — The Mental Health Tribunal may not grant a conditional discharge in circumstances where the conditions would inevitably lead to an Article 5 deprivation of liberty.	2011-12-31	2011 cases, Brief summary, Deprivation of liberty, Discharge conditions, Transcript
R v Weekes (1999) EWCA Crim 1225 — Restricted hospital order given on appeal, instead of life imprisonment.	2011-12-18	1999 cases, Brief summary, Life sentence cases, Transcript
Cardiff Council v Peggy Ross (2011) COP 28/10/11 12063905 — Cardiff Council used the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards to prevent an elderly couple going on holiday cruise; the court decided that it was in the respondent's best interests to go on the cruise, and gave permission for ITV Wales to report that decision and broadcast interviews; later the court decided that the respondent herself had capacity to decide whether or not to go.	2011-12-10	2011 cases, Best interests, Brief summary, Transcript
Black v MHTS (2011) CSIH 83 — 'What remedy, if any, is available to a curator ad litem appointed to represent the interests of a patient in proceedings before the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland, in the event that the Tribunal acts unlawfully or unfairly or exercises its discretion in an unreasonable manner? That is the question which lies at the heart of the present appeal, which was remitted to this court by the Sheriff Principal of Grampian, Highlands and Islands.' [Summary required.]	2011-12-10	2011 cases, No summary, Scottish cases, Transcript

External links

The following are the main sources of case transcripts:

• Bailii
• Court of Protection decisions on Bailii
• Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber) website - decisions
• MoJ/OPG website

Other:

• Hugh Southey QC and Jesse Nicholls, 'Mental Health Law Update', presentation by Hugh Southey to Mental Health Lawyers Association conference on 19/11/10

• 39 Essex Street COP Newsletter - Links to newsletters by Alex Ruck Keene and Victoria Butler-Cole