Causation

Question 1

White [1910]

Answer 1

but for test - would the result have happened ‘but for’ the defendant’s actions?

Question 2

Pagett [1983]

Answer 2

D’s act does not have to be the only cause
D’s act does not have to be the main cause
D’s act does have to be the significant cause

Question 3

Roberts [1971]

Answer 3

Were the victim’s actions reasonably foreseeable?
Victim’s own acts will only break the chain of causation where their act is so daft that no reasonable man could be expected to see it

Question 4

Blaue [1975]

Answer 4

Thin skull rule: the defendant must take the victim as the find them

Question 5

Jordan [1956]

Answer 5

Case where medial treatment broke the chain of causation where a doctor administered a drug to V to which it was known they were allergic

Question 6

Smith [1959]

Answer 6

Medical treatment did not break the chain of causation as D’s act were still the significant and operative cause of death

Question 7

Cheshire [1991]

Answer 7

Medical treatment can only break the chain of causation where the acts are ‘so independent of [D’s] acts, and in itself so potent in causing death, that [the jury] regard the contribution made by [D’s] acts as insignificant’