Short answer Flashcards
Conspiracy section and penalty
Section 310 CA 61
offence > 7 years = 7 years
any other case = same penalty
Four elements of conspiracy that the crown must prove
- two or more people were involved
- An agreement was made
- The agreement was to commit an offence
- At the time of the agreement there intention was to commit the offence
Mulcahy v R
Conspiracy
A conspiracy consists not merely in the intention of two or more, but in the agreement of two or more to do an unlawful act, or to do a lawful act by unlawful means. so long as such a design rests in intention only it is not indictable
intent - agreement = no conspiracy
give an example of an omission or failure to act
Conspiracy
A security guard deliberately fails to lock a door that he would normally secure (the omission), with the aim being that his associates gain entry to commit a burglary (the offence).
When is a conspiracy complete
When the agreement is made with the required intent.
R V Sanders
conspiracy
“A conspiracy does not end with the making of the agreement. The conspiratorial agreement continues in the operation and therefore in existence until it is ended by completion of its performance or abandonment or in any other manner by which agreements are discharged.”
In a conspiracy does the offence have to be planned?
No, A simple verbal agreement will suffice and there is no need for them to have made a decision on how they will actually commit the offence.
R v WHITE
Conspiracy
Where you can prove that a suspect conspired with other parties (one or more people) whose identities are unknown, that suspect can still be convicted even if the identity of the other parties is never established and remains unknown.
Can you conspire with your spouse or civil union partner
Yes
Attempts
Section + definition
Section 72 CA 61
Every one who, having an intent to commit an offence, does or omits an act for the purpose of accomplishing his object, is guilty of an attempt to commit the offence
Outline the three elements that must apply for an attempt conviction to succed
- Intent to commit an offence
- Act, they did or omitted to do something to achieve that end
- Proximity - that their act or omission was sufficiently close
R v RING
Attempts
In this case the offender’s intent was to steal property by putting his hand into the pocket of the victim. Unbeknown to the offender the pocket was empty. Despite this he was able to be convicted of attempted theft, because the intent to steal whatever property might have been discovered inside the pocket was present in his mind and demonstrated by his actions. The remaining elements were also satisfied.
R v HARPUR
(Attempts)
(sufficient proximity to completing the full offence)
“[The Court may] have regard to the conduct viewed cumulatively up to the point when the conduct in question stops … the defendant’s conduct [may] be considered in its entirety. Considering how much remains to be done … is always relevant, though not determinative.”
The test for proximity
Attempts
- Has the offender done anything more than getting himself into a position from which he could embark on an actual attempt? or
- Has the offender actually commenced execution; that is to say, has he taken a step in the actual crime itself?
Can a person be charged with attempts where it is legally possible but physically impossible to commit the offence?
Yes, so long as the offender has the necessary intention and performs the necessary act
HIGGINS v Police
Attempts
Where plants being cultivated as cannabis are not in fact cannabis it is physically, not legally, impossible to cultivate such prohibited plants. Accordingly, it is possible to commit the offence of attempting to cultivate cannabis.
Police v Jay
Attempts
A man bought hedge clippings believing they were cannabis.
R V Donnelly
(Attempts)
(legally impossible)
Where stolen property has been returned to the owner or legal title to any such property has been acquired by any person, it is not an offence to subsequently receive it, even though the receiver may know that the property had previously been stolen or dishonestly obtained.
outline the three occasions where the accused has no defence due to changing their mind or making voluntary withdrawal after committing an act sufficiently proximate to the full offence
(Attempts)
- were prevented by some outside agent from doing something that was necessary to complete the offence; eg interruption from police
- failed to complete the full offence due to ineptitude, inefficiency or insufficient means, eg insufficient explosive to blow apart a safe
- were prevented from committing the offence because an intervening event made it physically impossible, eg removal of property before intended theft.
Outline the functions of the judge and jury in relation to attempts
The judge must decide whether the accused had left the preparation stage and was already trying to effect completion of the full offence. (proximity is a question of law)
The jury must then decide whether the facts presented by the Crown have been proved beyond reasonable doubt and, if so, must next decide whether the defendant’s acts are close enough to the full offence.
Party to an offence
section + defenition
Section 66, CA 61
(1) Every one is a party to and guilty of an offence who-
(a) Actually commits the offence; or
(b) Does or omits an act for the purpose of aiding any person to commit the offence; or
(c) Abets any person in the commission of the offence; or
(d) Incites, counsels, or procures any person to commit the offence.
(2) Where 2 or more persons form a common intention to prosecute any unlawful purpose, and to assist each other therein, each of them is a party to every offence committed by any one of them in the prosecution of the common purpose if the commission of that offence was known to be a probable consequence of the prosecution of the common purpose.
Describe the difference between a principal offender and a secondary offender
( Parties)
A person will be a principal offender, and liable under s66(1)(a), where he or she personally satisfies the actus reus and mens rea requirements of the offence.
Secondary parties are those people whose assistance, abetment, incitement, counselling or procurement is sufficient under s66(1)(b), (c) or (d) of the Crimes Act 1961 to make them also liable due to their participation in the offence committed by the principal(s). This is despite the fact that the secondary party does not themselves commit that offence.
R v PENE
Parties
A party must intentionally help or encourage – it is insufficient if they were reckless as to whether the principal was assisted or encouraged.
R v Renata
Parties
The court held that where the principal offender cannot be identified, it is sufficient to prove that each individual accused must have been either the principal or a party in one of the ways contemplated by s66(1).
To be considered as a party to an offence when must ‘participation’ have occurred
To be considered a party to the offence, participation must have occurred before or during (contemporaneous with) the commission of the offence and before the completion of the offence.
LARKINS v Police
Parties
While it is unnecessary that the principal should be aware that he or she is being assisted, there must be proof of actual assistance.
ASHTON v Police
Parties
An example of a secondary party owing a legal duty to a third person or to the general public is a person teaching another person to drive. That person is, in New Zealand, under a legal duty to take reasonable precautions, because under s156 of the Crimes Act 1961 he is deemed to be in charge of a dangerous thing.
R v RUSSELL
Parties
The court held that the accused was morally bound to take active steps to save his children, but by his deliberate abstention from so doing, and by giving the encouragement and authority of his presence and approval to his wife’s act he became an aider and abettor and thus a secondary offender.
R V Betts & Ridley
Parties
An offence where no violence is contemplated and the principal offender in carrying out the common aim uses violence, a secondary offender taking no physical part in it would not be held liable for the violence used.
What three must you prove when charging as a party to an offence
- the identity of the defendant, and
- an offence has been successfully committed, and
- the elements of the offence (s66(1)) have been satisfied.
Explain and give examples of the following terms
Aids Abets Incites Counsels Procures
AID
To aid means to assist in the commission of the offence, either physically or by giving advice and information. In order to aid, the presence of the person offering the aid is not required at the scene, before, or at the time of the offence being committed.
Keeping lookout for someone committing a burglary
ABETS
Abets means to instigate or encourage; that is, to urge another person to commit the offence. As with aiding, the presence of the abettor at the scene of the offence at the time of its commission is not required.
A woman discovers her husband with another person. A fight breaks out between the woman and the other person. While the fight continues the husband encourages the other person to kill the wife.
INCITES
To incite means to rouse, stir up, stimulate, animate, urge or spur on a person to commit the offence
For example, a sports fan spurs on another fan to assault a protester and yells approval while the offence takes place.
COUNSELS
Counsels means to intentionally instigate the offence by advising a person(s) on how best to commit an offence, or planning the commission of an offence for another person(s). Counselling may also mean “urging someone to commit an offence”, in which case it will overlap with incitement.
a letter, authored by another party and instructing how to blow open a safe, was found in the possession of two offenders, at the scene of a commercial burglary. The letter writer was charged as a party, despite the fact he was not aware of the time, manner or place to be burgled.
PROCURES
Procurement is setting out to see that something happens and taking the appropriate steps to ensure that it does.“Procures” requires that the secondary party deliberately causes the principal party to commit the offence. It requires a stronger connection between the secondary party and the commission of the offence than is evidenced in aiding, abetting or inciting.
A woman obtains the services of a ‘hit man’ to kill her husband and offers money or sexual services to him as payment.
Identify two exceptions to passive presence rule and what was held
1 Special relationship
Where there is a special relationship and no intervention on the part of the person who would be a party, then this might amount to approval and encouragement of the principal offender’s actions.
2 Legal duty
The special relationship is also dependant on the person who would be a secondary party having a legal duty to act and a right or power of control over the principal offender.
Define an innocent agent
(Parties)
An innocent agent is someone who is unaware of the significance of their actions.
In cases where the offenders use an innocent agent to bring about the actus reus, the innocent agent is not regarded as a participant in the offence, they are simply the mechanism.
The law treats the offender as the principal in such cases.
Outline two methods by which multiple offenders may be considered to be principals
(Parties)
Each offender satisfies elements of the offence committed
Each offender separately satisfies part of the actus reus
Give three examples of providing assistance
Parties
Keeping lookout for someone committing a burglary.
• Providing a screwdriver to someone interfering with a motor vehicle.
• Telling an associate when a neighbour is away from their home to give them the opportunity to commit a burglary
Accessory after the fact
Section + penalty
71(1) CA 61
7/5/ 1/2
What must the crown prove to obtain a conviction for accessory after the fact
Person A is party to an offence and has been received comforted or assisted by person B
Person B knew Person A was a party to the offence at the time of receiving comforting or assisting
Person B received comforted or assisted person A or tampered with or actively suppressed any evidence against person A
At the time of R/C/A etc person B’s purpose was to enable person A to escape after arrest or to avoid conviction
Can a wife be charged as an accessory if assisting their spouse and one other who is with their spouse?
No, she has a statutory defence S71(2) CA 61.
This does not apply to defacto or other family relationships
Can a person still be convicted as an accessory if the offender has been acquitted of the offence
Yes, unless the accessory’s conviction is inconsistent with the acquittal of the original offender
Difference between receiving and AATF
Receiving
Property is received with guilty knowledge or recklessness but it is not necessary to prove he receiver specific intent
AATF
The prosecution must prove that possession of the property was obtained for the specific purpose of assisting the thief to evade justice
What is required to be proved in receiving
- act of receiving
- any property stollen or
- obtained by any other imprisonable offence
- knowing that at the time of receiving the property that it had been stolen or obtained by any other imprisonable offence or
- being reckless as to whether or not the property had been stolen or so obtained
Receiving
Act
+ penalty
Section 246
Penalty section 247
Value over $1000 = 7y
Value over $500 up to $1000 = 1y
Value up to $500 = 3month
When is the act of receiving complete
As soon as the offender has either exclusively or jointly with the thief or any other person, possession of or control over the property or helps in concealing or disposing of the property
R v COX
Receiving
Possession
Possession involves two elements. The first, often called the physical element is actual or potential physical custody or control. The second often described as the mental element is a combination of knowledge and intention: knowledge in the sense of an awareness by the accused that the substance is in his possession and an intention to excercise possession
Actual possession and physical possession
Actual possession arises where the thing in question is in a persons physical custody or control
Potential possession arises when the person has the potential to have the thing in question in their control. For example, storing the thing in question at an associates house or through an agent.
R v LUCINSKY
Receiving
The property received must be the property stolen or illegally obtained (or part thereof) and not some other item for which the illegally obtained property had been exchanged
List examples of circumstances commonly relied on as evidence of guilty knowledge on the part of the receiver
- possession of recently stolen property
- nature of the property i.e type, value, quantity
- purchase at a gross undervalue
- secrecy in receiving the property
- receipt of goods at an unusual time
- receipt of goods at an unusual place
- receipt of goods in an unusual way
- concealment of property to avoid discovery
- removal of identifying marks or features
- steps taken to disguise property
How do you void title
- communicate directly with fraudster
- advise police before goods sold
- take all possible steps to contact fraudster
R v HEARD
Demands intent to steal
Section 239 CA
The form of words used for a demand does not matter. Demand is a strong word, but a demand does not have to be couched in abusive terms, so long as it is clear that it is a request for something
Age for CPP and criteria
Under 18 at time of making complaint
- sexual abuse
- physical abuse
- neglect
Physical abuse injuries/actions for CPP referrals
- blow or kick to head
- shaking an infant
- strangulation
- use of an object as a weapon
- attempted drowning
- a bone fracture
- burn
- concussion or loss of consciousness
- any injury hat requires medical attention
- any bruising or abrasion (when infant)
Initial 3 steps OT and police must follow
CPP
Referral (info sharing)
Consultation (discussion)
Agreement (on initial action, initial joint investigation plan)
CPP timeframes
Critical - 24hrs
Very urgent - 48hrs
Urgent - 7 days
Section 127 CA 61
Sexual offences
No presumption of age
any person can be involved in a sexual connection
Attempted Sexual Violation
Section
Assault with intent to commit sexual violation
Section 129(1) CA 61
Section 129(2) CA 61
Attempted sexual connection with a child under 12
Section + penalty
Section 132(2) CA 61
10 years
Defence to a charge of sexual connection with young person
Section 134A CA 61
- Taken reasonable steps to ascertain YP was 16 AND
- Believed on reasonable grounds the YP was at least 16 AND
- The YP consented
Incest
Section + ingredients
Section 130 CA 61
- Sexual Connection
- 2 people, parent and child (incl adoptive), siblings, half siblings, grandparent and grandchild
- persons charged knows
- over 16