Criminal Law: Criminal Damage, Non-Fatal Offences against the Person, Sexual Offences, Fatal Offences against the Person
Detailed break down of each element of the offence, definitions, cases, and defences. All you need for the open book exam. Table of contents used and clearly laid out with ea...
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
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller RebeccaT. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
