Gross Negligence & Reckless Manslaughter Flashcards
When is gross negligence manslaughter committed?
It is committed where the defendant owes the victim a duty of care but breaches that duty in a very negligent way, causing the death of V.
How can gross negligent manslaughter be committed?
through an act or an omission; neither of which has to be unlawful
What is the leading case on gross negligent manslaughter?
Adomako
What happened in the case of Adomako?
D was an anaesthetist who failed to notice that the oxygen supply to V had disconnected during surgery, V died. Conviction for gross negligent manslaughter was upheld by HOL
D was an anaesthetist who failed to notice that the oxygen supply to V had disconnected during surgery, V died. Conviction for gross negligent manslaughter was upheld by HOL
What case is this?
Adomako
What are the 3 requirements for the elements of gross negligence manslaughter following the case of Adomako
- existence of a duty of care towards the victim
- a breach of that duty of care which causes death
- gross negligence which the jury considers to be criminal
What was the duty of care in Adomako?
doctor to patient
In the case of Adomako, Lord Mackay said that the ordinary principles of negligence in the civil law applied to whether there was a duty of care following which case?
Donoghue v Stevenson
What 2 cases are examples of where there was a contractual duty of care?
Singh
Litchfield
What happened in the case of Singh?
D was landlord of a property where a faulty gas fire caused death of tenants. Court of Appeal upheld conviction of manslaughter for gross negligence as there was a recognised duty.
D was landlord of a property where a faulty gas fire caused death of tenants. Court of Appeal upheld conviction of manslaughter for gross negligence as there was a recognised duty.
What case is this?
Singh
What happened in the case of Litchfield?
D was owner of a sailing ship, the engines of which he knew might fail. 3 ship crew members died. D owed a duty and was found guilty
D was owner of a sailing ship, the engines of which he knew might fail. 3 ship crew members died. D owed a duty and was found guilty
What case is this?
Litchfield
What did the COA state obiter in the case of Khan and Khan?
that duty situations could be extended to other areas
In Khan and Khan, the COA stated obiter that duty situations could be extended to other areas, a further extension of the type of duty recognised by the courts occurred in what case?
Wacker
What happened in the case of Wacker?
D agreed to bring 60 illegal immigrants into England. D closed the only air vent so that they would not be discovered. 58 died. Ds conviction for manslaughter was upheld by COA as he clearly assumed a duty of care
D agreed to bring 60 illegal immigrants into England. D closed the only air vent so that they would not be discovered. 58 died. Ds conviction for manslaughter was upheld by COA as he clearly assumed a duty of care
What case is this?
Wacker
What was the interesting point of Wacker?
that he victims were parties to an illegal act
In the civil law of negligence what would the outcome of Wacker have been?
V’s could not have made a claim against D
Why did the COA in the case of Wacker hold that for criminal law, it was irrelevant that Vs were parties to an illegal act, whereas in civil law they would not have been able to make a claim?
As they pointed out that the purposes of civil and criminal law were different and public policy demanded that Ds in this type of situation were liable under criminal law