Criminal Law (Palgrave Law Masters)

Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 6
Preface to the First Edition......Page 13
Preface to the Third Edition......Page 14
Table of Cases......Page 15
Table of Statutes......Page 29
List of Latin Terms......Page 33
PART I: BASIC PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY......Page 34
1.1 The Scope of this Book......Page 36
1.3 The Role of Criminal Law......Page 37
1.4 What Conduct is Criminal?......Page 38
1.5 Other Influences on Criminal Law......Page 47
1.6 The Reality of Criminal Behaviour......Page 49
Hot Topic: Should Fox Hunting be made Illegal?......Page 50
Summary......Page 51
Further Reading......Page 52
2.1 The Role of the State in Criminal Proceedings......Page 54
2.2 The Role of the Judge in Criminal Proceedings......Page 55
2.3 Judge and Jury......Page 57
2.4 The Burden of Proof......Page 59
2.5 Classification of Offences......Page 62
2.6 Punishment......Page 63
2.8 The Proposals for a Criminal Code......Page 64
Hot Topic: The Increasing Role of the Jury......Page 66
Summary......Page 68
Case Notes......Page 69
Further Reading......Page 70
3.1 The Elements of a Criminal Offence......Page 71
3.2 Different Aspects of the Actus Reus......Page 72
3.3 Liability for Omissions......Page 73
3.4 Should the Law Punish Omissions?......Page 77
3.5 The Voluntary Nature of the Actus Reus......Page 79
3.6 Automatism......Page 80
Hot Topic: Drug Dealers and Omissions......Page 83
Summary......Page 86
Case Notes......Page 87
Further Reading......Page 89
4.1 Mental Element in a Criminal Offence......Page 90
4.2 Different Types of Mens Rea......Page 92
4.3 Intention......Page 93
4.4 The Meaning of Recklessness......Page 100
4.5 The Meaning of Negligence......Page 106
4.6 Transferred Mens Rea......Page 107
4.7 Coincidence of Actus Reus and Mens Rea......Page 109
4.8 \'The Correspondence Principle\'......Page 111
Hot Topic: Euthanasia and Mercy Killing......Page 112
Summary......Page 115
Case Notes......Page 116
Further Reading......Page 118
5.1 The Nature of Causation......Page 120
5.3 \'But for\' Causation......Page 122
5.4 Novus Actus Interveniens......Page 123
5.5 The Relevance of Mens Rea in Questions of Causation......Page 131
Hot Topic: The Suicidal Rape Victim......Page 132
Summary......Page 133
Case Notes......Page 134
Further Reading......Page 136
6.1 The Meaning of Strict Liability......Page 137
6.2 The Justifications for Strict Liability Offences......Page 138
6.3 Construing Statutes which Appear to Impose Strict Liability......Page 139
6.5 Alternatives to Strict Liability......Page 146
6.6 Vicarious Liability......Page 147
6.7 The Criminal Liability of Corporations......Page 150
Hot Topic: Reforming Corporate Liability......Page 153
Summary......Page 154
Case Notes......Page 155
Further Reading......Page 157
PART II: OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON......Page 158
7.2 Common Assault and Battery......Page 160
7.3 Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm......Page 165
7.4 Malicious Wounding......Page 166
7.5 Wounding with Intent......Page 169
7.6 Maliciously Administering Poison......Page 170
7.7 Consent......Page 173
7.9 Assault with Intent to Rob......Page 179
7.12 Assaulting, Resisting and Wilfully Obstructing a Police Constable......Page 180
7.13 Protection from Harassment Act 1997......Page 182
7.14 Racially Aggravated Assaults......Page 187
7.15 Reform of Offences Against the Person......Page 189
Hot Topic: The Limits of Preventing Harassment......Page 190
Summary......Page 191
Case Notes......Page 193
Further Reading......Page 196
8.1 The Scope of Sexual Offences......Page 197
8.2 Rape......Page 198
8.3 Indecent Assault......Page 207
8.4 Unlawful Sexual Intercourse......Page 209
8.5 Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000......Page 210
8.6 Other Sexual Offences......Page 212
Hot Topic: \'Date Rape\'......Page 213
Summary......Page 214
Case Notes......Page 215
Further Reading......Page 216
9.1 Homicide......Page 217
9.2 The Actus Reus of Murder......Page 219
9.3 The Mens Rea of Murder......Page 221
9.4 Intention in Murder......Page 224
9.5 The Relevance of the Mandatory Life Sentence......Page 225
Hot Topic: The Legal Status of the Unborn Child......Page 226
Case Notes......Page 228
Further Reading......Page 231
10.1 Distinguishing Voluntary and Involuntary Manslaughter......Page 232
10.2 Constructive Manslaughter......Page 233
10.3 Gross Negligence Manslaughter......Page 237
10.4 Reckless Manslaughter......Page 239
10.5 Killing while Driving......Page 240
10.6 Criticisms of and Reform of Involuntary Manslaughter......Page 241
10.7 Voluntary Manslaughter......Page 243
10.8 Provocation......Page 244
10.9 Diminished Responsibility......Page 251
10.11 Infanticide......Page 254
Hot Topic: Battered Women......Page 255
Summary......Page 258
Case Notes......Page 259
Further Reading......Page 262
PART III: OFFENCES AGAINST PROPERTY......Page 264
11.1 Property Offences......Page 266
11.2 The Definition of Theft......Page 267
11.3 Appropriation......Page 268
11.4 Property......Page 276
11.5 Belonging to Another......Page 279
11.6 Dishonesty......Page 286
11.7 lntention of Permanently Depriving......Page 291
Hot Topic: Stealing Bodies......Page 297
Summary......Page 298
Case Notes......Page 299
Further Reading......Page 302
12.1 Robbery......Page 304
12.3 Burglary......Page 306
12.4 Aggravated Burglary......Page 313
12.5 Handling Stolen Goods......Page 314
Hot Topic: Why is Burglary a Specific Offence?......Page 321
Summary......Page 322
Case Notes......Page 323
Further Reading......Page 325
13.1 The Deception Offences......Page 326
13.2 Obtaining Property by Deception......Page 327
13.3 Obtaining a Pecuniary Advantage by Deception......Page 334
13.4 Obtaining Services by Deception......Page 336
13.5 Evasion of Liability by Deception......Page 337
13.6 Making off without Payment......Page 341
13.7 Forgery......Page 345
Hot Topic: Offences Involving Cheques and Credit Cards......Page 346
Summary......Page 350
Case Notes......Page 351
Further Reading......Page 353
14.1 Criminal Damage......Page 354
14.2 Blackmail......Page 360
14.3 Taking a Conveyance......Page 364
14.4 Aggravated Vehicle-taking......Page 368
14.5 Computer Crime......Page 369
14.6 Possession Offences......Page 374
Hot Topic: The GM Crop Protesters......Page 375
Summary......Page 377
Case Notes......Page 378
Further Reading......Page 379
PART IV: DEFENCES......Page 380
15.1 Defences......Page 382
15.2 Exemptions from Liability......Page 384
15.3 Denial of Actus Reus......Page 392
15.4 Denial of Mens Rea......Page 399
Hot Topic: Mistakes and Self-defence......Page 408
Summary......Page 410
Case Notes......Page 411
Further Reading......Page 414
16.1 Justifications and Excuses......Page 416
16.2 Duress by Threats......Page 419
16.3 Duress of Circumstances......Page 428
16.5 Self-defence and Duress of Circumstances......Page 429
16.6 Necessity......Page 430
Hot Topic: The Conjoined Twins......Page 434
Case Notes......Page 437
Further Reading......Page 439
PART V: PARTICIPATION IN CRIME......Page 440
17.1 What is an Accessory?......Page 442
17.2 Principals and the Doctrine of Innocent Agency......Page 443
17.3 Aiding, Abetting, Counselling and Procuring......Page 445
17.4 The Mens Rea of Being an Accomplice......Page 448
17.5 Criticisms of the Law on the Accessorial Mens Rea Requirement......Page 454
17.6 Presence of Accessory......Page 455
17.7 Providing Equipment......Page 456
17.8 Joint Enterprise......Page 457
17.9 Acting Outside the Enterprise......Page 458
17.10 Withdrawal from Enterprise......Page 459
17.11 Interaction between Accomplice Liability and Principal Liability......Page 460
17.13 Assistance after an Offence......Page 461
17.14 Reforms......Page 462
Hot Topic: Why do we have Liability for Accessories?......Page 463
Summary......Page 465
Case Notes......Page 466
Further Reading......Page 468
18.1 The Inchoate Offences......Page 470
18.2 Incitement......Page 471
18.3 Conspiracy......Page 476
18.4 Attempt......Page 483
Hot Topic: Incitement and Free Speech......Page 493
Case Notes......Page 494
Further Reading......Page 496
19.1 The Human Rights Act 1998......Page 498
19.2 What Rights are Protected by the Act?......Page 500
19.3 Areas of the Law which may be Affected by the Human Rights Act......Page 503
Case Notes......Page 513
Further Reading......Page 515
D......Page 516
S......Page 517
W......Page 518