Stockton and Others v. United Kingdom

The European Court of Human Rights held that applicants could not bring a complaint against the United Kingdom under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights for failure of the Water Authority to immediately warn the community of the dangers accompanying pollution of the water supply, because applicants did not meet the 6-month time limit requirement established in Article 26 of the Convention. Article 8 of the European Convention recognizes the right to respect for their private lives and homes, but is subject to the procedural condition established by Article 26, that the Court cannot investigate a matter within six months from a final decision by the domestic authorities.