Summary AQA A-level criminal law cases

Criminal Law Cases

DUTY TO ACT
- R v Gibbons and Proctor - duty arising from a special relationship - charged with
murder
- R v Stone and Dobinson - duty arising from an assumption of care for another -
charged with gross negligence manslaughter
- R v Pittwood - duty arising from a contract of employment - charged with
manslaughter
- R v Dytham - duty arising from an official position - charged with misconduct in a
public office
- R v Miller - duty to avert a danger of your own making - charged with arson



RULES OF CAUSATION
- R v Kimsey - ‘de minimis conduct’ rule - charged with 4 years driving suspension and
2 years imprisonment
- R v Blaue - thin skull rule - charged with manslaughter by way of diminished
responsibility
- R v Cheshire - medical intervention rule - charged with murder
- R v Smith - operating and substantial cause rule - charged with murder
- R v Williams - intervening act rule - quashed case, not enough evidence



INTENTION
- R v Mitchell - transferred malice - charged with manslaughter
- R v Latimer - transferred malice - charged with malicious wounding
- R v Pemblinton - transferred malice, actus reus must stay the same - quashed
- R v Mohan - direct intent - charged with attempted ABH
- R v Woolin - oblique intent - charged with manslaughter
- R v Cunningham - subjective recklessness - quashed
- Callow v Tillstone - strict liability - charged with exposing unfit meat for sale
- R v Blake - strict liability - charged with using wireless telegraphy equipment without
a licence
- Fagan v MPC - contemporaneity rule - charged with assaulting a police officer in the
execution of his duty


MURDER
- R v Clegg - ‘unlawful’ - charged with murder
- R v Inglis - ‘human being’ - charged with murder
- DPP v Smith - ‘intent to cause really serious harm’ - charged with murder