Angus v Stevenson

In *Angus v Stevenson*, the plaintiff, Angus, brought proceedings against the occupier of a hotel, Stevenson, alleging negligence. The dispute arose from injuries sustained by Angus when he fell on a piece of glass on the dance floor of the hotel. Angus contended that the hotel's system for collecting empty glasses was inadequate, creating a foreseeable risk of glasses being present on the dance floor and causing injury.

The central legal issue before the court was whether Stevenson, as the occupier, had breached their duty of care to Angus. This involved determining whether the occupier had failed to implement and adequately enforce a proper and safe system for the collection of empty glasses, and if such failure caused or materially contributed to the presence of glass on the dance floor and Angus's subsequent injury.

The court found that the hotel's practice of allowing glasses to accumulate on tables, particularly in an overcrowded environment, created a foreseeable risk that glasses would fall to the floor. Furthermore, the court determined that the system in place for collecting these glasses was not properly or adequately implemented. This failure to establish and enforce a safe system for glass collection was found to be causative of the presence of glass on the dance floor, leading to the plaintiff's fall and injury.

Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and Stevenson was ordered to pay Angus's costs.