A leading orthopaedic surgeon, hailed as one of the world's best and known for operating on footballer Harry Kane, has won a £37,000 payout from Britain's oldest Bentley dealer after his luxury car was stolen from his home.
The Failed Tracker and a Costly Oversight
Professor Fares Haddad, a consultant at University College London Hospitals, took legal action against the prestigious Mayfair dealership, Jack Barclay Ltd. He argued the company neglected to supply his high-performance Bentley Continental GT W12 with working electronic tracking software. The surgeon had purchased the car, which has a top speed of 207mph and started from £159,000, on a hire purchase agreement in 2019, part-exchanging his Aston Martin.
During the purchase, Professor Haddad was assured by a salesman that 'a tracker is standard on the car, and I will set that up for you.' Relying on this promise and the dealer's reputation for high-quality service, he believed the device was active. However, when the Bentley was stolen in January 2023, he discovered the tracker was not functioning, which invalidated his insurance claim.
Court Battle and Shared Blame
The subsequent trial at Central London County Court heard that while a tracker was physically fitted by a Jack Barclay engineer, it was never registered with network provider Vodafone because the necessary form with Prof Haddad's details was never sent. The surgeon confirmed he never received any correspondence from Vodafone about a subscription.
Judge Andrew Holmes ruled the dealership was at fault for this failure, which directly led to the loss. However, the judge also found that Professor Haddad bore a significant 60% of the blame for 'contributory negligence.' He stated that over the several years between the car's purchase and its theft, the surgeon should have noticed he wasn't paying for or receiving information about a crucial subscription for such a valuable asset.
Initially seeking over £82,000 in damages, the professor's award was reduced by 60% to £33,057. With accumulated interest, the total payout will be just over £37,000.
A Surgeon of Renown
Professor Fares Haddad is a prominent figure in sports medicine. His expertise was notably called upon when he operated on England captain Harry Kane's hamstring after the then-Tottenham Hotspur star suffered a tear on New Year's Day 2020. The successful procedure at London's Princess Grace Hospital allowed Kane to return to training that May.
This case highlights the critical importance of ensuring security features on high-value items are fully operational and the shared responsibility between vendor and customer in verifying such services.
