Actus Reus

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Offences are classified into actus reus and mens rea. After establishing the actus reus and mens rea, it's important to ensure they are in compliance. Certain offences, such as murder, manslaughter, criminal damage, and assault with actual bodily harm, require the defendant's action to result in a specific outcome as part of the actus reus.

This lecture centres on rules for determining if a defendant caused a forbidden result. This idea is easier to understand within the context of an offence. We shall accomplish this within the context of murder. First, let us establish the overall actus reus for murder.

Learning Outcomes

After listing to this lecture you will understand:

  1. understand the actus reus of murder;

  2. recognise when it is necessary to prove that the accused has caused a result, which is an element of an offence;

  3. understand and apply the legal principles relating to factual and legal causation; and

  4. identify the circumstances, in which an intervening or unforeseen act or event will relieve the accused from criminal liability.

Key Cases

Actus Reus

Attorney-General's Reference [1996] 2 All ER 10

Causation

Attorney-General's Reference (No.3 of 1994) [1997] 3 All ER 936

R v White [1910] 2 KB 124

R v Dalloway(1847) 2 Cox CC

R v Benge(1865) 4 F & F 504

Intervening Acts or Acts which break the link of causation

R v Smith [1959] 2 All ER 193

R v Cheshire [1991] 3 All ER 670

R v Pagett (1983) 76 Cr App R 279

R v Hayward (1908) 21 Cox CC 692

Acts of the Victim

R v Mackie (1973) 57 Cr App R 453

R v Holland (1841) 174 ER 313

R v Blaue [1975] 3 All ER 446

R v Dear [1996] Crim LR 595

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Offences are classified into actus reus and mens rea. After establishing the actus reus and mens rea, it's important to ensure they are in compliance. Certain offences, such as murder, manslaughter, criminal damage, and assault with actual bodily harm, require the defendant's action to result in a specific outcome as part of the actus reus.

This lecture centres on rules for determining if a defendant caused a forbidden result. This idea is easier to understand within the context of an offence. We shall accomplish this within the context of murder. First, let us establish the overall actus reus for murder.

Learning Outcomes

After listing to this lecture you will understand:

  1. understand the actus reus of murder;

  2. recognise when it is necessary to prove that the accused has caused a result, which is an element of an offence;

  3. understand and apply the legal principles relating to factual and legal causation; and

  4. identify the circumstances, in which an intervening or unforeseen act or event will relieve the accused from criminal liability.

Key Cases

Actus Reus

Attorney-General's Reference [1996] 2 All ER 10

Causation

Attorney-General's Reference (No.3 of 1994) [1997] 3 All ER 936

R v White [1910] 2 KB 124

R v Dalloway(1847) 2 Cox CC

R v Benge(1865) 4 F & F 504

Intervening Acts or Acts which break the link of causation

R v Smith [1959] 2 All ER 193

R v Cheshire [1991] 3 All ER 670

R v Pagett (1983) 76 Cr App R 279

R v Hayward (1908) 21 Cox CC 692

Acts of the Victim

R v Mackie (1973) 57 Cr App R 453

R v Holland (1841) 174 ER 313

R v Blaue [1975] 3 All ER 446

R v Dear [1996] Crim LR 595

Offences are classified into actus reus and mens rea. After establishing the actus reus and mens rea, it's important to ensure they are in compliance. Certain offences, such as murder, manslaughter, criminal damage, and assault with actual bodily harm, require the defendant's action to result in a specific outcome as part of the actus reus.

This lecture centres on rules for determining if a defendant caused a forbidden result. This idea is easier to understand within the context of an offence. We shall accomplish this within the context of murder. First, let us establish the overall actus reus for murder.

Learning Outcomes

After listing to this lecture you will understand:

  1. understand the actus reus of murder;

  2. recognise when it is necessary to prove that the accused has caused a result, which is an element of an offence;

  3. understand and apply the legal principles relating to factual and legal causation; and

  4. identify the circumstances, in which an intervening or unforeseen act or event will relieve the accused from criminal liability.

Key Cases

Actus Reus

Attorney-General's Reference [1996] 2 All ER 10

Causation

Attorney-General's Reference (No.3 of 1994) [1997] 3 All ER 936

R v White [1910] 2 KB 124

R v Dalloway(1847) 2 Cox CC

R v Benge(1865) 4 F & F 504

Intervening Acts or Acts which break the link of causation

R v Smith [1959] 2 All ER 193

R v Cheshire [1991] 3 All ER 670

R v Pagett (1983) 76 Cr App R 279

R v Hayward (1908) 21 Cox CC 692

Acts of the Victim

R v Mackie (1973) 57 Cr App R 453

R v Holland (1841) 174 ER 313

R v Blaue [1975] 3 All ER 446

R v Dear [1996] Crim LR 595