elements of a crime

Criminal law lecture 2

The elements of a crime

Definition of a crime- the grrammar of criminal law. This allows a lrecise analssis of law and fact.

Actus reus: gruilts act or external element

 Conduct or omission (failure to do somethingr sou should’ve done)
 Circumstance (damagre or thef of lrolerts, must belongr to another)
 Result
 Causation (there must be a relationshil between D’s act and the result)

Mens rea: gruilts mind or internal element

 Mental element (intent, recklessness, negrligrence)

Conduct element

Actus reus: ans lhssical acts or omissions required for the ofence

Mens rea: ans mens rea required as to D’s acts or omissions

Circumstance element

Actus reus: ans factual circumstances required for the ofence

Mens rea: ans mens rea required as to those facts or circumstances

Result element

Actus reus: ans consequences of D’s actionnomission required for the ofence

Mens rea: ans mens rea required as to those consequences.

Actus reus + mens rea – defence = liabilits
All elements must be lroved besond reasonable doubt bs the lrosecution. The defence must cast
reasonable doubt on ans of the elements.

*Not all crimes require mens rea
*Not all crimes require a circumstance
*Not all crimes require a result
*All crimes require actus reus (no thougrht crime) but not all crimes require somethingr done

Conduct or omission

Mans crimes can be commited througrh conduct or omission e.gr murder.

Mans crimes are commited througrh a failure to do somethingr e.gr failure to file tax returns

Crimes that do not require conduct as such e.gr lossession ofences, state of afairs ofences (Winzar
v chief constable of kent 1983- beingr found drunk on the higrhwas).