Gibbons v Proctor [1891] 64 LT 594 (also reported as Gibson v Proctor 55 JP 616)

Fact

A reward of £25 had been advised for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrator of a particular crime. The advertisement stipulated that the information must be given to the Superintendent Penn. The claimant, a police officer, had already shared the required information to a colleague (without knowing about the reward) with instructions to forward it to superintendent Penn. Before the information reached the Superintendent, the police officer became aware of the offer. The claimant attempted to claim the reward.

Issue

Was the police officer entitled to the reward without prior knowledge of the offer?

Judgment

The claimant was entitled to the reward. This case held that advertisements of reward is treated as an offer and the acceptance was the supply of the information to Penn, and by the time when information reached Penn, the officer had become aware of the offer.