Hotlist Flashcards
Transferred Mens Rea
What is this?
Where the state of mind required for one offence can, on occassions, be ‘transferred’ from the orginal target to another.
This only operates if the CRIME REMAINS THE SAME.
Transferred Mens Rea
When does transferred mens rea not apply?
If you act with the mens rea for one offence but commit the actus reus of another.
If the nature of the offence chances, transferred mens rea does not apply.
Actus Reus
For a person to be found guilty of a criminal offence you must show that he/she:
- Acted in a particular way
- Failed to act in a particular way (omissions), or
- Brought about a state of affairs.
- Must be shown that the defendant had the requisite mens rea at the time of carrying out the actus reus.
Actus Reus
When proving the required actus reus you must show:
- That the defendant’s conduct was voluntary (own volition/ free will).
- That it occurred while the defendant still had the requisite mens rea.
Actus Reus
Omissions which mean a person commits an offence by failing to act in certain situations.
D Dangerous situation created by the defendant.
U Under statute, contract or a person’s public ‘office’.
T Taken it upon him/herself
Y Young person
Remember you must show that the defendant has voluntarily omitted to act as required.
Actus Reus
Once the Actus Reus has been proved, what must then be shown for an offence to have been carried out?
A causal link between it and the relevant consequences.
That is, to prove the consequences would not have occurred without the defendants act or omission.
Actus Reus
What is an Intervening Act?
A subsequent overwhelming or supervening event which is not the ultimate cause of the consequence that form part of the actus reus of the offence, and NOT the initial conduct.
E.g significant medical intervention and it kills them if they were nearly better. Broken chain of causation. If something like an allergic reaction occurred would still be original aggressors wrongdoing.
Actus Reus
Give an example of what would not be considered an intervening act?
A soldier is stabbed in a fight, two persons carrying the injured man away drop him and a doctor fails to notice an injury to a lung and he subsequently dies.
Incorrect medical treatment is almost NEVER considered an intervening act.
Actus Reus and a ‘Victims Weakness’
Case study?
The defendant must be aware that his actions may have a greater consequence than expected.
R v Harvey – The eggshell skull case
- A husband and wife have an argument, husband throws remote at her. Unfortunately, she had a weakness where it struck and she was killed.
- In 99% it would have been common assault but you must take a victim how you find them.
Principals and Accessories
- What is a principal offender?
- What is an accessory?
- One who’s conduct has met all the requirements of the particular offence.
- Someone who has helped in or brought about the commission of an offence.
Principals and Accessories
In what circumstances will an accessory be treated in court in the same was a the principal offender?
If the accessory ‘aids, abets, counsels or procures’ the commission of an offence.
Sentences of an accessory and principal are the same.
You do not have to convict/ charge a principal. Accessories can be convicted in their own standalone charge.
Principals and Accessories
What does ‘aid, abet, counsel and procure’ mean?
At the scene:
• aiding = giving help, support or assistance
• abetting = inciting, instigating or encouraging.
Away from the scene:
• counselling = advising or instructing
• procuring = bringing about.
Principals and Accessories
If an accessory is present at the scene of a crime when it is committed, his/her presence may amount to encouragement which would support a charge of aiding or abetting if he/she was there as part of an agreement in respect of the principal offence.
What of the situation where the accessory is not present during the substantive offence?
It is necessary to prove intentional assistance by the accessory (A) in acts which they knew were steps taken by the principal offender (P) towards the commission of the crime. Therefore the prosecution must prove:
- an act done by A;
- which in fact assisted the later commission of the offence;
- that A did the act deliberately realising that it was capable of assisting the offence;
- that A, at the time of doing the act, contemplated the commission of the offence by P; and
- that when doing the act A intended to assist P.
Principals and Accessories
Generally, the state of mind (mens rea) which is needed to convict an accessory is:
‘proof of intention to aid as well as of knowledge of the circumstances’.
Joint Enterprise
A joint criminal enterprise exists where:
Two (or more) people embark on the commission of an offence by one or both (or all) of them.
It is a joint enterprise because all the parties have a common goal—that an offence will be committed.
As the parties to a joint enterprise share a combined purpose, each would be liable for the consequences of the actions of the other in the pursuit of their joint enterprise.
Joint Enterprise
What is Parasitic Accessory Liability?
When one person in the joint enterprise goes down a fundamentally different path.
e.g Two friends go out shoplifting but when in the shop, the second friend stabs and robs the cashier.
How liable the person is the higher the probability that something was to happen, the more likely the person could have foreseen it. Did they know the other friend had a knife on them?
Corporate Liability
What is Corporate Liability?
Companies which are ‘legally incorporated’ have a legal personality of their own and they can commit offences.
It is most commonly used to describe actions, taken by the company itself or its employees, that could be deemed unlawful.
Vicarious Liability
What is Vicarious Liability?
Vicarious liability arises when a principal (such as an employer) is answerable for the act of an agent in the course of its business.
It most often comes up in an employment context. The employer is vicariously liable for the employee, by the operation of tort law. The employer responsible for acts of the employee. The acts of the employee must be unlawful - and establish a cause of action - but not necessarily be reckless.
E.g Landlord of a pub becomes criminally liable for something bar staff has done.
Incomplete Offences
Intentionally Encouraging or Assisting an Offence—
s44 The Serious Crime Act 2007
(1) A person commits an offence if—
(a) he does an act capable of encouraging or assisting in the commission of an offence; and
(b) he intends to encourage or assist its commission.
(2) But he is not to be taken to have intended to encourage or assist the commission of an offence merely because such encouragement or assistance was a foreseeable consequence of his act.
Incomplete Offences
Encouraging or Assisting an Offence BELIEVING it will be Committed—
The Serious Crime Act 2007, s. 45 states:
(1) A person commits an offence if—
(a) he does an act capable of encouraging or assisting in the commission of an offence; and
(b) he believes—
(i) that the offence will be committed; and
(ii) that his act will encourage or assist its commission.
Incomplete Offences
Encouraging or Assisting Offences BELIEVING ONE OR MORE will be Committed—
The Serious Crime Act 2007, s. 46 states:
(1) A person commits an offence if—
(a) he does an act capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of one or more of a number of offences: and
(b) he believes—
(i) that one or more of those offences will be committed (but has no belief as to which); and
(ii) that his act will encourage or assist the commission of one or more of them.
(2) It is immaterial for the purposes of subsection (1)(b)(ii) whether a person has any belief as to which offence will be encouraged or assisted.
Incomplete Offences
What are s44, 45 and 46 of the The Serious Crime Act 2007?
- s44: Intentionally Encouraging or Assisting an Offence.
- s45: Encouraging or Assisting an Offence BELIEVING it will be Committed.
- s46: Encouraging or Assisting Offences BELIEVING ONE OR MORE will be Committed
Incomplete Offences
- What does s49 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 state?
- s50?
- That the offences (s44, 45 and 46) can still be committed regardless of whether or not the encouragement had the effect the defendant intended it to have.
- It is a defence if in the circumstances he/she was aware of, or in the circumstances he/she reasonably believed existed, it was reasonable to act as he/she did.
Conspiracy
What is the offence of statuatory conspiracy?
The Criminal Law Act 1977, s. 1 states:
- An agreement between at least two people, and,
- If the agreement was carried out, would it lead to the commission of an offence by one or more of the parties?
Doesn’t matter if impossible.
Conspiracy
A defendant cannot be convicted of a statutory conspiracy if the only other party to the agreement is:
- his/her spouse or civil partner
- a person under 10 years of age
- the intended victim (Criminal Law Act 1977, s. 2(2)).
Conspiracy
Conspiracy to Defraud—
. . . an agreement by two or more [persons] by dishonesty to deprive a person of something which is his or to which he is or would or might be entitled [or] an agreement by two or more by dishonesty to injure some proprietary right [of the victim] . . .
Criminal Attempts
What is a ‘Criminal Attempt’?
s1 The Criminal Attempts Act 1981
(1) If, with intent to commit an offence to which this section applies, a person does an act which is more than merely preparatory to the commission of the offence, he is guilty of attempting to commit the offence.
Criminal Attempts
What offences can you not attempt?
S ummary only offence (apart from simple damage & low value shoplifting.
P rocure/ Counsel/ Aid/ Abet an offence
A ssist offender/ Conceal relevant offence
C onspiracy
E ncourage/ assist suicide
Criminal Attempts
To prove an ‘attempt’ you must show…
…an intention on the part of the defendant to commit the substantive offence.
This requirement means a higher level or degree of mens rea may be required to prove an attempt than for the substantive offence.
Criminal Attempts
Can you attempt the impossible?
You can conspire or attempt to commit the impossible.
e.g attempting to steal a painting in an art gallery that has been moved.
Recklessness
What is recklessness?
A state of mind that is essentially unjustified risk-taking.
The approach taken to the interpretation of the word reckless is that it will be subjective.
Recklessness
What are the requirements of subjective recklessness?
Where the defendant foresees the consequence of his/her actions as being probable or even possible, e.g.
- A circumstance when he/she is aware of a risk that it exists or will exist.
- A result when he/she is aware of the risk that it will occur.
And it is, in the circumstances known to him/her, unreasonable to take that risk.
Recklessness
How is how ‘reasonable’ taking a risk is established?
Each situation will be decided on its own merits by the court – not the defendant.
E.g Are they children? Are they mentally ill?
Entry, Search and Seizure – Searching Premises
Time of searches
- Searches must be made within 3 months of date warrant is issued.
- Must be at a reasonable hour unless this may frustrate the purposes of the search.
Entry, Search and Seizure – Searching Premises
A warrant under s8 PACE may authorise what?
Search and entry of premises on more than one occasion if, on application, the justice of peace is satisfied that it is necessary to authorise multiple entries.
Further entries must be authorised by written authority of Inspector.
Entry, Search and Seizure – Searching Premises
Entry other than with consent
What is the first step to take…
Try to communicate with the occupier, explain the authority under which entry is sought and ask the occupier to allow entry unless:
(i) the search premises are unoccupied.
(ii) the occupier/ any other person entitled to grant entry are absent.
(iii) there are reasonable grounds for believing that alerting would frustrate the object of search/ endanger officers.
Entry, Search and Seizure – Searching Premises
Conduct of Searches
Premises may be searched only to the extent necessary to achieve the object of the search and must not continue if all objects are found.
Issues in Evidence
What can evidence be described as?
Information that may be presented to a court so that it may decide on the probability of some facts asserted before it, that is information by which facts in issue tend to be proved or disproved.
Issues in Evidence
The two questions that need to be applied to any evidence are:
- admissibility - whether the evidence is relevant to a fact in issue. All evidence of facts in issue and all evidence which is sufficiently relevant to prove (or disprove) facts in issue are potentially admissible.
- weight - once it is established that the evidence is admissible, it is put before the court to determine what weight it will attach to the evidence, that is, how much effect does it have on proving or disproving the case (how good it is).
Issues in Evidence
What are some reasons for excluding admissible evidence?
At common law, the trial judge has a general discretion to exclude legally admissible evidence tendered by the prosecution.
- They believe the prejudicial value outweighs the probative value.
- Evidence obtained through improper or unfair means.
- Hearsay.
- Incompetency of a Witness
- Evidence relating to previous convictions
- Privileged information or withheld as a matter of public policy.
- Non-expert opinion evidence.
Issues in Evidence
In a criminal case, what are facts in issue?
In criminal cases these are facts the prosecution must prove, for example:
- the identity of the defendant;
- the actus reus;
- the mens rea.
Issues in Evidence
What is the duty of the prosecution?
What is the duty of the defence?
Prosecution:
- To prove guilt.
- Beyond all reasonable doubt.
Defence:
- Level of proof is less for the defence.
- On the balance of probabilities.
- To put doubt in the minds of the Jury
Interviews – 10 Cautions
When must a caution be given?
A person whom there are grounds to suspect of an offence must be cautioned before any questions about an offence.
If questions provide to grounds for suspicion then they are to be immediately cautioned at the point suspicion is formed and questions ceased.
This means the suspect’s silence, (i.e failure or refusal to answer satisfactorily) may be given in evidence to a court in a prosecution.
Interviews – 10 Cautions
There is no need to provide a caution with questions which are for other necessary purposes, for example…
When asking for a person’s identity or the identity of the owner of a vehicle.
When asking for a driver’s name and date of birth under the Road Traffic Act 1988.
When asking a suspect to read and sign records of interviews and other comments.
Before conducting a search.
Interviews – 10 Cautions
What does s34 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 state?
‘Failure to mention any fact.’
It provides that inferences can be drawn if, when questioned by the police under caution, charged or officially informed that he/she may be prosecuted, the accused fails to mention a fact on which he/she later relies in his/her defence, and which she could reasonably have been expected to mention at the time.
Interviews – 10 Cautions
Special warnings
What are ‘special warnings’?
s36 and s37 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
This relates only to persons who have been arrested who fail to account for something that the investigator reasonably believes is fundamental in the fact that they were involved in the offence. A Special Warning is given meaning that inferences can be drawn from their failure to answer.
s36: FAILURE TO ACCOUNT FOR OBJECTS, SUBSTANCES AND MARKS.
S37: FAILURE TO ACCOUNT FOR PRESENCE
Interviews – 10 Cautions
Special warnings – Section 36
A person is arrested and on his…
PC FOPSOMM
P erson C lothing F ootwear O therwise in his possession or P lace at time of arrest a S ubstance O bject M ark M ark on an object
….at the time of arrest and is REFUSING to account as to why this is, can be subject of a special warning
Interviews – 10 Cautions
Special warnings – Section 37
What four things need to be satisfied?
s37: A person is arrested and found at the place or about the time of the offence that was alleged to have been committed and they reasonably believe this is because they were involved in the offence.
1. The person has been arrested.
2. An officer reasonably believes that what they are asking may be linked to their participation in the offence.
3. The detainee is informed and asked for an explanation.
4. The interviewer tells them in plain language that by not answering an inference could be drawn.
Interviews – 10 Cautions
Special warnings
For an inference to be drawn when a suspect fails or refuses to answer a question about one of these matters or to answer it satisfactorily, the suspect must first be told in ordinary language:
a) what offence is being investigated;
(b) what fact they are being asked to account for;
(c) this fact may be due to them taking part in the commission of the offence;
(d) a court may draw a proper inference if they fail or refuse to account for this fact; and
(e) a record is being made of the interview and it may be given in evidence if they are
brought to trial.
Interviews – 10 Cautions
Special warnings
Can inference be drawn from silence or refusal to answer?
No – these will not be sufficient alone to prove guilt and obtain a conviction.