Justine Thornton QC unsurprisingly concludes that:
"I am not persuaded that the DVLA owes a duty of care to Mr Seddon. The DVLA was performing its functions under a statutory regime designed to raise vehicle excise duty. Mr Seddon chose to rely on the car registration document for a purpose of his own – the purchase of a historic car. Analogous case law does not permit a duty of care. In entering into a private commercial transaction for the purchase of the car, Mr Seddon could have taken steps to protect himself against the loss he subsequently incurred."
The loss, fortunately, is Mr Seddon's, not the taxpayers. Please email me if you want the full Judgment.
RS