Unfortunately it didn’t involve a snail or ginger beer
EXCLUSIVE: There was stifled laughter all round at Manchester County Court this morning when the case of Donoghue v Stevens appeared on the hearing list.
Unfortunately, the case — which is of course very similar in name to the 1932 tort law classic, Donoghue v Stevenson — has nothing to do with a snail or ginger beer, and actually involves a road traffic accident.
Manchester County Court’s hearing list shows that Donoghue v Stevens was heard at 10am this morning before District Judge Davies.
This isn’t the first time Donoghue v Stevenson has been given a modern twist.
Earlier this year, Legal Cheek reported that an Australian woman called Donna had discovered a dead lizard in a bottle of beer. Speaking at the time, Donna said she felt “really sick” when she saw the lizard and had lost around two kilograms in body weight following the ordeal.
The original case saw Mrs Donoghue sue ginger beer manufacturer Mr Stevenson after she discovered a decomposing snail in her bottle of ginger beer. The House of Lords’ decision in the case established the civil law tort of negligence.