Unequal footing between private law and public law, private law has a horizontal
effect whilst public law and criminal law has a vertical effect.
Describe sources of criminal law.
Criminal Law comes from a combination of Legislation, Common Law and Case Law.
Define a crime.
“A legal wrong for which the offender is liable to be prosecuted, and if convicted, can
be punished by the state.”
Describe the meaning of criminal liability.
“Whether X can be held criminally liable for their conduct.”
Outline and describe the elements of criminal liability.
Conduct – voluntary act or omission.
Unlawfulness – comply with the definitional elements of a crime or contrary to any
law.
Causation – the relationship between cause and effect.
Criminal capacity – whether accused was sufficiently sound of kind to be held guilty
of committing a crime i.e. of a certain age or mental health.
Mens rea – intention or negligence..
Describe the tests of criminal liability.
Subjective test refers to the people personally and includes the mental elements
such as mens rea and criminal capacity. It is inward looking and asks the question
about what X did.
Objective test refers to a wholistic view and includes the physical elements such as
conduct, unlawfulness and causation. This measures X against a greater standard.
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