Involuntary Manslaughter Flashcards
Define IVMS?
Unlawful killing of another human being without the intention necessary for murder
What are the 3 types of IVMS?
- Unlawful Act MS (constructive)
- Gross Negligence MS
- Subjective Reckless MS
What are the 3 essential elements to the offence of unlawful act MS?
- An unlawful act
- Unlawful act must be dangerous
- Unlawful act must have caused the death
AR is still as required for murder
What case established that the unlawful act must be criminal, not a tort?
Franklin (1883)
D threw box into sea
Hit winner on head, died
NG; no criminal act in 1st place
Franklin (1883)
(Sea) UA
D threw box into the sea
Hit swimmer on the head, died
NG; no criminal act in 1st place
What case established that the unlawful act must be a crime itself?
Andrews v DPP (1937)
Larkin (1943)
(Razor) UA
D waved open razor at man, to terrify him
Man’s drunken mistress fell against razor
Throat cut, died
CA upheld D’s MS conviction; = unlawful dangerous act - intentional assault
R v Lamb (1967)
(Revolver) UA
D + friend = messing around with revolver
Didn’t know how it worked
= 2 bullets in chamber but assumed neither - opposite barrel
D pulled trigger, barrel rotated + shot friend
Unlawful act = assault
BUT no MR for this, friends didn’t take it seriously
Therefore no unlawful act leading to death
R v Simon Slingsby (1995)
UA
D met woman in nightclub Back to her flat, had consensual sex D caused internal bleeding, she died D charged unlawful + dangerous act MS CA: = NG as there was no offence D had no MR of ANY offence, not liable
Can an omission lead to an unlawful act MS?
What case illustrates this?
NO!
Has to be an act
R v Lowe (1973)
R v Lowe (1973)
(Child) UA
D committed offence of neglecting child
Under Child + Young persons Act 1933
Although neglect led to death of child
No conviction of unlawful act MS; no +ve act
Who must see the unlawful act as dangerous?
The reasonable person
R v Church (1996)
(Van) UA
D + women went to have sex in his van D = unable to satisfy her Had fight, he punched her, knocked her unconscious D panicked thought she = dead Threw body in river V = actually alive, but drowned CA: reasonable person must foresee SOME HARM ABLEIT SERIOUS HARM Upheld MS conviction
What did the CA say in the case of R v Church (1966)?
Only a reasonable person must foresee some harm albeit serious harm
What type of test is used in unlawful act manslaughter?
Purely objective
D doesn’t have to consider any risk of harm
Reasonable bystander would only need to force risk of SLIGHT harm
Why can the objective test in unlawful act MS be considered harsh?
Name a case that illustrates this?
D’s may not realise that their actions = dangerous
DPP v Newbury and Jones (1977)
DPP v Newbury and Jones (1977)
(Railway bridge) UA
D’s = 2 15 year old boys
Threw concrete block off railway bridge
Hit train passing underneath + killed guard
Defence tried to argue, age meant didn’t realise act = dangerous
CA upheld convictions; act would’ve obviously been dangerous to bystander
No characteristics of D could be taken into account
What is the sober + reasonable man assumed to have?
What case illustrates this?
Same knowledge as D
Might not be aware of something about the V that makes them especially vulnerable
R v Dawson (1985)
R v Dawson (1985)
(petrol station) UA
V = 60 year old man working in petrol station
Ds attempted armed robbery
V pressed alram, Ds ran off
Unknown to Ds, V had serious heart condition
Died of heart attack soon after
Convictions = quashed; reasonable bystander wouldn’t have know about V’s condition