Following a dispute over certain matters including the ownership of IP rights, C and D entered into a settlement agreement (SA) under which D agreed not to claim any entitlement in, or challenge, certain assigned intellectual property (IP) rights. The SA provided that, in the event of breach, D would repay sums paid to him by C, and future payments due to him would be forfeit. D subsequently breached the SA by seeking to register an interest in patents and patent applications

The Newcastle Circuit Commercial Court struck out and summarily dismissed a hotel's claim against its insurers for business interruption losses resulting from COVID-19. The policy contained a clause that defined the meaning of the term "Infectious Disease", for which cover applied. The list of diseases in the clause was detailed and exhaustive but did not include COVID-19. The policy included cover for loss in consequence of, among other things: "1. Infectious Disease manifes