Table of Contents
Key elements to crimes......................................................................................................3
Recklessness (subjective test).......................................................................................................3
Burden of proof............................................................................................................................3
Transferred malice.......................................................................................................................3
Conduct crimes.............................................................................................................................3
Result crimes................................................................................................................................3
Direct intent.................................................................................................................................3
Indirect intent..............................................................................................................................3
Specific intent...............................................................................................................................3
Ulterior intent..............................................................................................................................3
Strict liability................................................................................................................................3
Criminal damage................................................................................................................4
Liability.........................................................................................................................................4
Take your victim as you find them..................................................................................................................5
Indirect intention............................................................................................................................................5
Doctrine of transferred malice.......................................................................................................................5
Strict liability...................................................................................................................................................5
Ignorance to law.............................................................................................................................................5
Liability for omissions: special relationship....................................................................................................5
Liability for omissions: Breach of a contractual obligation to act..................................................................6
Liability for omissions: Breach of statutory obligation to act.........................................................................6
Liability for omissions: Dangerous situations.................................................................................................6
Defences.......................................................................................................................................6
Lawful excuse s5(2) CDA.................................................................................................................................7
Consent to theft..............................................................................................................................................7
Automatism....................................................................................................................................................7
Mistaken belief...............................................................................................................................................7
Non-fatal offences against the person................................................................................7
Definitions..................................................................................................................................11
Assault...........................................................................................................................................................11
Battery...........................................................................................................................................................11
ABH...............................................................................................................................................................11
GBH...............................................................................................................................................................11
Direct intention.............................................................................................................................................11
Indirect intention..........................................................................................................................................11
liability.......................................................................................................................................12
Causation......................................................................................................................................................12
SDI (serious disabling injury).........................................................................................................................12
Defences.....................................................................................................................................13
Intoxication...................................................................................................................................................14
Consent.........................................................................................................................................................14
Self-defence..................................................................................................................................................18
Reasonable force..........................................................................................................................................18
1
, Mistaken belief.............................................................................................................................................19
Mental illness (in context of reasonable force for self defence)..................................................................19
Medical treatment........................................................................................................................................19
Sexual offences................................................................................................................20
Liability.......................................................................................................................................22
Capacity to consent......................................................................................................................................23
Consent definition........................................................................................................................................23
Belief in consent...........................................................................................................................................23
Sexual definition...........................................................................................................................................23
Evidential presumptions about consent.......................................................................................................23
Circumstances where lack of consent and lack of belief in consent are conclusively established..............25
Penetration...................................................................................................................................................25
Touching........................................................................................................................................................25
Is the activity sexual?....................................................................................................................................25
Transexuals...................................................................................................................................................25
Intoxication...................................................................................................................................................25
Young victims................................................................................................................................................26
MudFatal offences against the person..............................................................................26
liability.......................................................................................................................................34
Acceleration of death...................................................................................................................................35
The but for test.............................................................................................................................................35
Legal causation.............................................................................................................................................35
Who is a human being..................................................................................................................................35
Children.........................................................................................................................................................35
When does the victim die.............................................................................................................................35
Significant cause of death.............................................................................................................................36
Euthanasia after an attack............................................................................................................................36
Negligent medical treatment........................................................................................................................36
Take your victim as you find them................................................................................................................37
Defences.....................................................................................................................................38
Diminished responsibility.............................................................................................................................39
Legal insanity................................................................................................................................................40
Loss of control...............................................................................................................................................41
Intervening event (novus actus interveniens)..............................................................................................42
Prevention of crime......................................................................................................................................42
Essay questions................................................................................................................42
Consent......................................................................................................................................42
Lord Templeman v Lord Mustill..................................................................................................47
2
, Key elements to crimes
Recklessness Foreseeing a risk and going on without R v Cunningham [1957]
(subjective test) justification [2004]
Prosecution have to prove that D DID see the
risk = not enough to argue that they should
have done so = subjective
Burden of proof On prosecution normally = beyond all For partial defences to murder (which
reasonable doubt reduces crime to voluntary
manslaughter) it is on the balance of
probabilities
Transferred If D has malice to commit a crime against one R v Pembilton [1974] – only works for
malice person = the malice (MR) can be transferred the same type of crime
to any unintended victim
R v Latimer [1886] – hit unintended
It only applies to the same type of crime victim with belt
Conduct crimes D has to behave in a certain way and certain Theft is a conduct crime
circumstances need to exist before AR is
established
Result crimes Certain circumstances must follow from the
behaviour before AR of offence is established
eg crim damage = property must be
destroyed/ damaged
Direct intent You intend to commit the crime R v Moloney 1985
Intention is given its ordinary meaning
Indirect intent Liable if: R v Moloney [1985]
Consequence was virtually certain to occur R v woollin [1999] – threw child
D foresaw that the consequence was virtually against hard surface and convicted of
certain to occur manslaughter
R v Latimer [1886] – hit unintended
victim with belt
Specific intent Only intention is suffice for MR (recklessness
not enough)
Ulterior intent Prosecution have to prove additional element
of MR ie s9(1)(a) of burglary = need to
establish that D entered knowing that he was
a trespasser AND that he intended to
steal/cause GBH etc.
Strict liability D may be convicted of criminal offence
without having MR
CRIMINAL LAW SUMMARY TABLES
3
, Criminal damage
Offence AR MR Case
simple 1 destroy or damage 1 knowledge that the property Hardman v Chief Constable
criminal 2 property belongs to another of Avon and Somerset
damage 3 which belongs to 2 Intending or being reckless as Constabulary [1986]
CDA 1971 someone else to the destruction or damage
s1(1)
aggravated 1 destroy or damage 1 intending or being reckless as no need for life to be actually
criminal 2 property to the destruction or damage endangered (Dudley [1989] -
damage 3 belonging to self 2 intending or being reckless as liable when fire bomb thrown
CDA or other to whether life is endangered by at house but didn’t go off)
1971 that destruction or damage
s 1(2) the danger to life must come
from the damage to the
property (steer [1988] - not
liable when man shot at
window and glass caused
damage rather than his
bullets)
simple arson 1 destroy or damage 1 know property belongs to Think about if terraced house,
CDA 2 Property another could other lives be
1971 3 Which belongs to 2 intend to damage or destroy endangered
s1(1) and s someone else or be reckless as to it
1(3) 4 by fire
Aggravated 1 destroy or damage 1 know property belongs to
arson 2 Property another
CDA 3 Which belongs to 2 intend to damage or destroy
1971 self or other or be reckless as to it
s1(2) and s 4 by fire AND
1(3) 3 intend by the destruction/
damage to endanger the life of
another or be reckless as to this
Liability
4
Key elements to crimes......................................................................................................3
Recklessness (subjective test).......................................................................................................3
Burden of proof............................................................................................................................3
Transferred malice.......................................................................................................................3
Conduct crimes.............................................................................................................................3
Result crimes................................................................................................................................3
Direct intent.................................................................................................................................3
Indirect intent..............................................................................................................................3
Specific intent...............................................................................................................................3
Ulterior intent..............................................................................................................................3
Strict liability................................................................................................................................3
Criminal damage................................................................................................................4
Liability.........................................................................................................................................4
Take your victim as you find them..................................................................................................................5
Indirect intention............................................................................................................................................5
Doctrine of transferred malice.......................................................................................................................5
Strict liability...................................................................................................................................................5
Ignorance to law.............................................................................................................................................5
Liability for omissions: special relationship....................................................................................................5
Liability for omissions: Breach of a contractual obligation to act..................................................................6
Liability for omissions: Breach of statutory obligation to act.........................................................................6
Liability for omissions: Dangerous situations.................................................................................................6
Defences.......................................................................................................................................6
Lawful excuse s5(2) CDA.................................................................................................................................7
Consent to theft..............................................................................................................................................7
Automatism....................................................................................................................................................7
Mistaken belief...............................................................................................................................................7
Non-fatal offences against the person................................................................................7
Definitions..................................................................................................................................11
Assault...........................................................................................................................................................11
Battery...........................................................................................................................................................11
ABH...............................................................................................................................................................11
GBH...............................................................................................................................................................11
Direct intention.............................................................................................................................................11
Indirect intention..........................................................................................................................................11
liability.......................................................................................................................................12
Causation......................................................................................................................................................12
SDI (serious disabling injury).........................................................................................................................12
Defences.....................................................................................................................................13
Intoxication...................................................................................................................................................14
Consent.........................................................................................................................................................14
Self-defence..................................................................................................................................................18
Reasonable force..........................................................................................................................................18
1
, Mistaken belief.............................................................................................................................................19
Mental illness (in context of reasonable force for self defence)..................................................................19
Medical treatment........................................................................................................................................19
Sexual offences................................................................................................................20
Liability.......................................................................................................................................22
Capacity to consent......................................................................................................................................23
Consent definition........................................................................................................................................23
Belief in consent...........................................................................................................................................23
Sexual definition...........................................................................................................................................23
Evidential presumptions about consent.......................................................................................................23
Circumstances where lack of consent and lack of belief in consent are conclusively established..............25
Penetration...................................................................................................................................................25
Touching........................................................................................................................................................25
Is the activity sexual?....................................................................................................................................25
Transexuals...................................................................................................................................................25
Intoxication...................................................................................................................................................25
Young victims................................................................................................................................................26
MudFatal offences against the person..............................................................................26
liability.......................................................................................................................................34
Acceleration of death...................................................................................................................................35
The but for test.............................................................................................................................................35
Legal causation.............................................................................................................................................35
Who is a human being..................................................................................................................................35
Children.........................................................................................................................................................35
When does the victim die.............................................................................................................................35
Significant cause of death.............................................................................................................................36
Euthanasia after an attack............................................................................................................................36
Negligent medical treatment........................................................................................................................36
Take your victim as you find them................................................................................................................37
Defences.....................................................................................................................................38
Diminished responsibility.............................................................................................................................39
Legal insanity................................................................................................................................................40
Loss of control...............................................................................................................................................41
Intervening event (novus actus interveniens)..............................................................................................42
Prevention of crime......................................................................................................................................42
Essay questions................................................................................................................42
Consent......................................................................................................................................42
Lord Templeman v Lord Mustill..................................................................................................47
2
, Key elements to crimes
Recklessness Foreseeing a risk and going on without R v Cunningham [1957]
(subjective test) justification [2004]
Prosecution have to prove that D DID see the
risk = not enough to argue that they should
have done so = subjective
Burden of proof On prosecution normally = beyond all For partial defences to murder (which
reasonable doubt reduces crime to voluntary
manslaughter) it is on the balance of
probabilities
Transferred If D has malice to commit a crime against one R v Pembilton [1974] – only works for
malice person = the malice (MR) can be transferred the same type of crime
to any unintended victim
R v Latimer [1886] – hit unintended
It only applies to the same type of crime victim with belt
Conduct crimes D has to behave in a certain way and certain Theft is a conduct crime
circumstances need to exist before AR is
established
Result crimes Certain circumstances must follow from the
behaviour before AR of offence is established
eg crim damage = property must be
destroyed/ damaged
Direct intent You intend to commit the crime R v Moloney 1985
Intention is given its ordinary meaning
Indirect intent Liable if: R v Moloney [1985]
Consequence was virtually certain to occur R v woollin [1999] – threw child
D foresaw that the consequence was virtually against hard surface and convicted of
certain to occur manslaughter
R v Latimer [1886] – hit unintended
victim with belt
Specific intent Only intention is suffice for MR (recklessness
not enough)
Ulterior intent Prosecution have to prove additional element
of MR ie s9(1)(a) of burglary = need to
establish that D entered knowing that he was
a trespasser AND that he intended to
steal/cause GBH etc.
Strict liability D may be convicted of criminal offence
without having MR
CRIMINAL LAW SUMMARY TABLES
3
, Criminal damage
Offence AR MR Case
simple 1 destroy or damage 1 knowledge that the property Hardman v Chief Constable
criminal 2 property belongs to another of Avon and Somerset
damage 3 which belongs to 2 Intending or being reckless as Constabulary [1986]
CDA 1971 someone else to the destruction or damage
s1(1)
aggravated 1 destroy or damage 1 intending or being reckless as no need for life to be actually
criminal 2 property to the destruction or damage endangered (Dudley [1989] -
damage 3 belonging to self 2 intending or being reckless as liable when fire bomb thrown
CDA or other to whether life is endangered by at house but didn’t go off)
1971 that destruction or damage
s 1(2) the danger to life must come
from the damage to the
property (steer [1988] - not
liable when man shot at
window and glass caused
damage rather than his
bullets)
simple arson 1 destroy or damage 1 know property belongs to Think about if terraced house,
CDA 2 Property another could other lives be
1971 3 Which belongs to 2 intend to damage or destroy endangered
s1(1) and s someone else or be reckless as to it
1(3) 4 by fire
Aggravated 1 destroy or damage 1 know property belongs to
arson 2 Property another
CDA 3 Which belongs to 2 intend to damage or destroy
1971 self or other or be reckless as to it
s1(2) and s 4 by fire AND
1(3) 3 intend by the destruction/
damage to endanger the life of
another or be reckless as to this
Liability
4
