OCR A Level Law H418/01 The legal system and criminal law May 2025
Combined QUESTION PAPER and MARK SCHEME
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Thursday 22 May 2025 – Afternoon
A Level Law
H418/01 The legal system and criminal law
Time allowed: 2 hours
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must
be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer five questions in total:
Answer one question from Questions 1 and 2 and one question from Questions 3 and 4
in Section A.
Choose one Part in Section B. Answer the three questions for that part.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 80.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [603/0706/7] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (PQ) 354755/3 Turn over
*188 4 1 193 66 *
, 2
SECTION A
The legal system
Answer Question 1 or Question 2. Then answer Question 3 or Question 4.
Answer Question 1 or Question 2.
1 Describe the different sources of funding for civil cases. [8]
2 Explain the community sentences available to an adult offender. [8]
Answer Question 3 or Question 4.
3 Discuss the disadvantages of the judiciary. [12]
4 Discuss the benefits of using the civil courts to solve a dispute. [12]
© OCR 2025 H418/01 Jun25
, 3
SECTION B
Criminal law
Choose Part 1 or Part 2.
Part 1
Answer the three questions.
The first two questions are about the scenarios. The scenarios are not related.
Heidi and Casey have been married for ten years when Heidi tells Casey she is divorcing him and
going to live with another man. Casey is very upset and decides to get his revenge on Heidi. He goes
to a hardware shop planning to buy some acid to throw at Heidi. While standing at the checkout with
the acid, he notices a CCTV camera and realises he is being filmed. He leaves quickly without buying
the acid. He asks his friend, Felix, a chemistry teacher, to get some acid for him. Casey tells him he
needs it to unblock a drain. Felix can see that Casey is very upset and he is suspicious about why he
wants the acid. He gives Casey a bottle of harmless liquid instead. Casey goes to Heidi’s work and
when she exits the building, he throws the contents of the bottle over her. Heidi is unharmed.
Beth is over eight months pregnant and is due to give birth in two weeks’ time. Her sister, Jane, is very
jealous of Beth because of the attention she is getting from their family. One day, Jane is helping Beth
to look for a new flat. When they are both standing on the staircase, Jane pushes Beth from behind.
Beth falls to the bottom of the stairs and is seriously injured. She is taken to hospital. While in surgery,
Beth gives birth prematurely to a baby boy. The surgeons are unable to save Beth, and she dies during
the operation due to her injuries. The baby is breathing independently but is in a critical condition. He is
quickly taken to another operating theatre on a trolley by a hospital porter. However, the porter is going
so fast that the trolley crashes into a patient. The baby falls to the floor and dies instantly.
5 Advise whether Casey is criminally liable for any attempted crimes.
Do not discuss the specific crimes. [20]
6 Advise whether Jane has the required actus reus for the murder of Beth and of the baby.
Do not discuss the mens rea of murder. [20]
Essay question on criminal law
7* ‘The current law relating to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, charged under s47 Offences
Against the Person Act 1861 is easily criticised and needs to be reformed urgently.’
Discuss the extent to which this statement is accurate. [20]
© OCR 2025 H418/01 Jun25 Turn over
Combined QUESTION PAPER and MARK SCHEME
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
Thursday 22 May 2025 – Afternoon
A Level Law
H418/01 The legal system and criminal law
Time allowed: 2 hours
You must have:
• the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must
be clearly shown.
• Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet.
• Answer five questions in total:
Answer one question from Questions 1 and 2 and one question from Questions 3 and 4
in Section A.
Choose one Part in Section B. Answer the three questions for that part.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 80.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 4 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, © OCR 2025 [603/0706/7] OCR is an exempt Charity
DC (PQ) 354755/3 Turn over
*188 4 1 193 66 *
, 2
SECTION A
The legal system
Answer Question 1 or Question 2. Then answer Question 3 or Question 4.
Answer Question 1 or Question 2.
1 Describe the different sources of funding for civil cases. [8]
2 Explain the community sentences available to an adult offender. [8]
Answer Question 3 or Question 4.
3 Discuss the disadvantages of the judiciary. [12]
4 Discuss the benefits of using the civil courts to solve a dispute. [12]
© OCR 2025 H418/01 Jun25
, 3
SECTION B
Criminal law
Choose Part 1 or Part 2.
Part 1
Answer the three questions.
The first two questions are about the scenarios. The scenarios are not related.
Heidi and Casey have been married for ten years when Heidi tells Casey she is divorcing him and
going to live with another man. Casey is very upset and decides to get his revenge on Heidi. He goes
to a hardware shop planning to buy some acid to throw at Heidi. While standing at the checkout with
the acid, he notices a CCTV camera and realises he is being filmed. He leaves quickly without buying
the acid. He asks his friend, Felix, a chemistry teacher, to get some acid for him. Casey tells him he
needs it to unblock a drain. Felix can see that Casey is very upset and he is suspicious about why he
wants the acid. He gives Casey a bottle of harmless liquid instead. Casey goes to Heidi’s work and
when she exits the building, he throws the contents of the bottle over her. Heidi is unharmed.
Beth is over eight months pregnant and is due to give birth in two weeks’ time. Her sister, Jane, is very
jealous of Beth because of the attention she is getting from their family. One day, Jane is helping Beth
to look for a new flat. When they are both standing on the staircase, Jane pushes Beth from behind.
Beth falls to the bottom of the stairs and is seriously injured. She is taken to hospital. While in surgery,
Beth gives birth prematurely to a baby boy. The surgeons are unable to save Beth, and she dies during
the operation due to her injuries. The baby is breathing independently but is in a critical condition. He is
quickly taken to another operating theatre on a trolley by a hospital porter. However, the porter is going
so fast that the trolley crashes into a patient. The baby falls to the floor and dies instantly.
5 Advise whether Casey is criminally liable for any attempted crimes.
Do not discuss the specific crimes. [20]
6 Advise whether Jane has the required actus reus for the murder of Beth and of the baby.
Do not discuss the mens rea of murder. [20]
Essay question on criminal law
7* ‘The current law relating to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, charged under s47 Offences
Against the Person Act 1861 is easily criticised and needs to be reformed urgently.’
Discuss the extent to which this statement is accurate. [20]
© OCR 2025 H418/01 Jun25 Turn over
