Week 8 - Evidence Flashcards
State of mind. Criminal conduct. Incomplete offences. Issues in evidence. Offences agains the administration of justice and public interest.
What is specific and basic intent
Crimes of specific intent:
only committed when defendant is shown to have had a particular intention to bring about a specific consequence at the time of the criminal act.
Other criminal offences require nothing other than the basic intention to bring about the given circumstances (i.e burglary 91b only requires proof that person entered the building and then went on to commit prohibited act)
Murder.. Specific or basic intent?
Specific
Burglary 91a.. specific or basic?
Specific (entering with intent)
Burglary 91b.. specific or basic
Basic (did not enter with intent to cause prohibited act, that was decided once alreadg inside)
Common feature of crimes with specific intent?
Intention. Without that intent the offence does not exist.
What is intent?
If a defendant intends something to happen, he wishes to bring about a certain consequence
(I.e entering a house intending to steal)
What if person did not intend certain consequences??
Concept of foresight…
S8 criminal justice act 1967
S8 Crim just act 1967 says that a court/jury when determining wether a person has committed an offence…
1) shall not be bound in law to infer he intended or foresaw a result of his actions only because the consequences were probable
But they shall decide if he intended/foresaw the consequence by looking at the evidence and drawing inferences from it
Foresight of the probability of a consequence does not….
Mean there was an intention to bring about that consequence (but may be evidence of it).
The jury considers:
- at the time of the criminal act was there a probability of a consequence
- the greater the probability , the more likely it is that the defendant foresaw that consequence
- if the defendant foresaw that consequence, the more likely it is that the defendant intended it to happen
Foresight.
You cannot claim that a person intended a consequence of a persons behaviour just because it was virtually certain to occur
Evidence of the defendants foresight of the probability of a consequence is put to the court, who may draw an inference from it…
I.e…
If at the time of the act there was a consequence…
- The greater the probability of the consequence the more likely the defendant foresaw it
- and if the defendant saw the consequence then the more likely it is they intended it to happen
Recklessness
Is subjective.
Subjective recklessness is satisfied where the defendant foresees the consequences as being probable or even possible.
The fact the consequences ‘ought ‘ to have been foreseen is not enough.
Malice
Particularly relevant to which offences?
S18 S20 S23 S24 Offences agains persons act
Malice. Requires what?
Either
The actual Intention to cause the relevant harm
Or
At least foresight of the risk of causing ‘some’ (not full extent) of the harm
I.e…. X throws a coin at Y intending to cause small cut to Y. The coin hits Y’s eye and Y loses his sight.
X has commited GBH as he has behaved maliciously - he saw ‘some’ risk of harm and took the risk anyway
Wilfully
Mentioned in offences such as child cruelty
Taken to mean intentionally or recklessly (recklessly being subjective)
Wilful is not to be understood literally as being deliberate or voluntary
Dishonestly
Identify the state of mind required
And the ways that can be proved/disproved
Knowing
Relevant to several offences such as handling stolen goods
One knows something if they are absolutely sure that it is so.
As it is difficult to absolutely be sure of anything it is accepted that a person who feels virtually certain about something can be regarded as knowing it.
Belief
The difference between belief and knowing
Same degree of certainty however
Knowing something implies correctness of belief..
Whereas a belief could turn out to be mistaken
(In handling stolen goods cases it has been stressed there is a need to distinguish belief from recklessness or suspicion, as it is not sufficient that an accused believed it to be probable that goods were stolen)
Negligence
Generally concerned with the defendants compliance with the standards of reasonableness of ordinary people.
Negligence focuses on the consequences of defendants conduct rather than proving his state of mind.
Most important common law offence that can be committed by negligence is manslaughter (by gross negligence).
Strict liability
Generally means that there is Little to prove beyond the act itself. (I.e. no need to prove mens rea- eg: in offence of drink driving)
Transferred mens rea
The state of mind for an offence can be transferred from one victim to another.
ONLY IF THE CRIME REMAINS THE SAME
Transferred mens rea in relation to the liability of an accessory to a crime
If the intentions were contemplated and accepted by the accessory then the accessory is liable. Even if the mens rea was transferred to another victim inadvertently.
Eg… if in an assault where X and Y agree that X will assault Z…
X then decides to assault a different person then Y not liable as they didn’t agree to that.
But if X assaults Z and in doing so X injures a third party inadvertently then transferred mens rea may mean that Y is also liable.
Wyen considering criminal liability
What is the ‘but for’ test??
But for X’s actions, would Y have happened?
Actus reas. Criminal conduct.
To be found guilty of an 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
This is the actus reas of an offence (the behavioural element)
To prove the required actus reas you must show
- The the defendants conduct was voluntary and
- That it has occurred while the defendant still had the requisite mens rea (state of mind)
Voluntary act
I.e if pushed into a window and it breaks, the person cannot be said to be guilty of criminal damage even though they were the immediate cause.
The person being pushed was not acting of their own free will and therefore could not perform the actus reas (criminal conduct)
Ommissions
Criminal conduct most often associated with actions , but occasionally liability is brought about by a failure to act - mostly where a DUTY to act has been created… the main circumstances being…
D - dangerous situation created by defendant.
U - under statute, contract or persons public
office.. eg:
- Statute - driver who fails to stop of scene of
accident
- Contract - crossing keeper omitted to close
the gates at a level crossing
- Public office - police officer failed to
intervene to prevent an assault
T - taken it upon himself to carry out a duty and then fails to do so (i.e acepted duty to care for someone and then they die of neglect)
Y - young person - where defendant is parent of young person (obligation exists for parent to look after health and welfare of child and they dont)
Actus reas…
Omission where a duty to act has been created.
Must also show that the defendant has voluntarily ommitted to act as required or not done enough to discharge their duty…
Unless…
Someone else has stopped them from discharging their duty
Or
They are incapable of doing more because of their own personal limitations (i e inability to swim)
Causal link?
You must prove the consequences would not have happened ‘but for’ the defendants act or omission
Intervening act??
The causal link (but for) can be broken by an intervening act provided the new act is free, deliberate and informed.
However the basic rule is that an intervening act will not generaly break the causal link
Defendants must take their victims as they find them
So if a victim has a very thin skull or some illness which makes the consequences of the act against them more acute, this is the defendants bad luck. These things will not break the causal link.
Victims actions can sometimes be significant in the causal link/chain…
I.e
If a victim is injured when jumping from a car to get away from their assailant … their behaviour will not necessarily be seen as a new and intervening act as the victims actions can be seen as reasonably anticipated from any victim in such a situation… therefore the defendant will be responsible for the outcome.
However if the victims actions are done entirely of their own violition , or their actions are daft, then this will amount to a new and intervening act and the defendant cannot be held responsible for them.
A principle or an accessory to criminal liability
Principle - offender whose conduct has met all the requirements of the particular offence
Accessory - someone who helped or brought about the commision of the offence.
If an accessory aids/abets/counsel’s or procures the commission of an offence he/she will be treated by a court in the same way as a principle offender (under the accessories and abettors act 1861 for indictable offences , or the magistrates court act 1980 for a summary offence)
Aid, abet, counsel, procure meaning
These are not seperated out into seperate elements when charging a defendant, They are looked at in theie entirety
Aid -giving help, support, assistance
Abet - inciting, investigating or encouraging
Counsel - advise or instruct
Procure - bringing about
If accessory is present at acene of crime when committed… their presence amounts to to..
Their presence amounts to encouragement
Which supports a charge of aiding or abetting if they were there are part of an agreement re the principle offence.
(Not the case if they were just walking by)
What if accessory not present at scene when crime is commited?
Necessary to prove intentional assistance.. by proving:
An act done by the accessory which assisted the later commission of the offence
That the accessory did the act deliberately realising it was capable of assisting the offence
That they contemplated the commision of the offence by the principle offender
And that when doing the act they intented to assist the principle offender
Vicarious liability??
General principle is that liability is personal however there are occasions where liability can be transmitted vicaiously to another….
I.e where statutory duty is breached by an employee, or where a duty is placed into an individual (such as a licensee) who then delegates some of their functions to another.
Incomplete offences
Ones where defendants are interrupted or frustrated in their effort to commit an offence…
Incomplete offences cannot be mixed and most cannot be attempted (i.e you cannot conspire to aid and abet and you cannot attempt to conspire)
Legislation around encouraging or assisting crime
Serious crime act 2007
S44 - Intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence
S45 - encouraging or assisting an offence believing it will be commited
S46 - Encouraging or assisting offences believing one or more will be committed
ALL TRIABLE ON INDICTMENT AND ALL LIABLE TO SAME PENALTY AS PER OFFENCE THEY ARE ENCOURAGING OR ASSISTING
S47 serious crime act 2007?
Sets out what must be proved in order to establish guilt for S44/45/46
In respect of each offence D must merely do an act which is capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence.
S49 serious crime act 2007
Stares that offences can be committed regardless of wether or not the encouragement or assistance has the effect that was intended or beleived it would have.
An act of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence may take a number if different forms such as…
A course of conduct
Failure to discharge a duty
Threatening another person or
Putting pressure on another to commit the offence
Can a person be convicted of more than one of the offences of S44/45/46 serious crime act (encouraging/assisting in commision of offence) in relation to the same act?
Yes
What is a defence to s44/45/46 serious crime act?
Encouraging/assisting in commission of offence
S50 sets out that it will be a defence if the person acted reasonably
(that in the circumstances they were aware of, or reasonably believed existed, it was reasonable to act as they did)
S51 serious crime act says a person cannot be guilty of s44/45/46 if it is in relation to a protective offence where the person who does the act is the person that the offence was designed to protect… example?
A 12yr old child encouraging an adult to have sex with her. The child cannot be liable for encouraging rape as she is considered the victim of the actual offence
Does S44/45/46 serious crime act apply to corporate manslaughter?
No
Conspiracy
2 types…??
Statutory
Common law
Statutory conspiracy
Legislation ?
Triable?
When is this offence committed?
S1 criminal law act 1977…
If a person agrees with any other person that a course of conduct will be pursued which will either:
A) amount to or involve the commission of any offence(s) by one or more of the parties or
B) would do so but for the existence of facts which render the commission of the offence impossible
He is guilty of consipracy to commit the offence(s) in question
Triable on indictment (regardless of if the offence consipred to commit is summary or indictable)
Offence is committed at the time of the agreement, it is immaterial whether or not the substantive offence is ever carried out
What must there be for a Conspiracy?
An agreement - A meeting of minds. Therefore at least 2 people involved.
Person A cannot be guilty of consipracy with person B if B intends to thwart or sabotage it (as there would not be a meeting of minds i.e an agreement to carry out the offence)
Each conspirator must be aware of the overall common purpose.
If one enters into seperate agreements with different people then each agreement is a seperate consipracy.
.
Can a person be convicted of consipracy even if the actual identity of the other person is unknown?
Yes.
When can a defendant NOT be convicted of consipracy?
If the ONLY other party to the agreement is:
- Their spouse/civil partner (a civil partner is a same sex partnership registered under the civil partnership act 2004)
- A person under 10 yrs old
- The intended victim (crim.law act 1977. s2)