This is a Handout on the Law of Murder, written by an experienced examiner and used over many years with my students. It is a short introduction to the topic and is an invaluable aid for AS and A Level students of the subject. It is 7-pages long and it is estimated that it would take about 60-minutes of teaching time. There are questions and exercises throughout. The Handout is structured as follows: Definition and Jurisdiction of Murder: Murder is defined as the unlawful killing of a reasonable person under the Queen’s peace with malice aforethought, and British citizens can be charged with murder committed in any country. Actus Reus Elements: The actus reus of murder includes four elements: D killed, a reasonable creature in being, under the Queen’s Peace, and the killing was unlawful. The document primarily focuses on the first element. Importance of Causation: For murder, it is crucial to prove that D’s act or omission caused the death of V, with examples like Gibbins v Proctor illustrating how omissions can fulfill actus reus. Reasonable Person in Being: The term refers to a human being, with complexities arising in cases involving a foetus or brain-dead individuals. Unlawful Killing: Killing is unlawful unless it is in self-defence, defence of another, or prevention of crime with reasonable force. Mens Rea for Murder: Murder requires specific intent, meaning the jury must be convinced of an intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm, as illustrated in cases like Vickers and Swift. Indirect or Oblique Intention: Issues arise when D’s primary aim is different from causing death or serious injury, but death results, requiring examination of indirect intention. An invaluable introduction to murder for any students of the subject!

A short Handout and questions on the law on Diminished Responsibility written by an experienced examiner of Law and delivered to my own students across many cohorts and students. This 7-page Handout is all that you need to teach and study Diminished Responsibility. The Handout is structured as follows: Definition and Legal Basis. Application in Trials: A defendant cannot be charged with voluntary manslaughter directly; it is a verdict the jury may reach if the defense of diminished responsibility is successfully pleaded during a murder trial. Criteria for Diminished Responsibility: To qualify for diminished responsibility, the defendant must prove an abnormality of mental functioning arising from a recognized medical condition that substantially impaired their ability to understand their conduct, form rational judgments, or exercise self-control. Impact of the Defence. Case Law Examples: Several cases illustrate the application of diminished responsibility, including BYRNE, where a sexual psychopath’s conviction was reduced to manslaughter, and LUC THIET THUAN, where a head injury did not qualify as a recognized medical condition. Substantial Impairment: The defence requires that the abnormality of mental functioning substantially impair the defendant’s abilities, such as understanding their conduct or forming rational judgments, as seen in the GITTENS case. Challenges in Application: Juries sometimes disregard the defense of diminished responsibility, as seen in the SUTCLIFFE case, where the defendant was convicted of murder despite evidence of mental abnormality. An invaluable set of notes for anyone studying this vital concept in Law.

Complete Handout/Worksheet on General Defences in English Law. Written by an experienced Law examiner and used many times in classes of my own, obtaining excellent results. This is a 25-page workbook which includes questions and highlighted key points and cases. There is an accompanying Worksheet of review questions in addition to this Worksheet. Here’s a summary of the document: The document provides an overview of various general defences in English law, including Automatism, Insanity, Duress, Intoxication, Consent, and Self-Defense/Prevention of Crime. Automatism: Automatism is divided into non-insane and self-induced automatism. Insanity: Insanity is governed by the M’Naghten Rules, which require proving a defect of reason caused by a disease of the mind, leading to a lack of understanding of the nature and quality of the act or its wrongfulness. Duress: Duress involves committing a crime under the threat of death or serious bodily harm. Intoxication: Intoxication can be a defense for specific intent crimes if it prevents the formation of mens rea. Consent: Consent is generally not a defense for causing actual bodily harm, except in cases of implied consent in sports or medical procedures. Self-Defense/Prevention of Crime: Self-defense allows the use of reasonable force to protect oneself, others, or property. Automatism vs. Insanity: The distinction between automatism and insanity often lies in whether the cause is external (automatism) or internal (insanity), leading to different legal outcomes. Duress by Threats vs. Duress of Circumstances: Duress by threats involves direct threats forcing D to commit a crime, while duress of circumstances involves committing a crime to avoid imminent harm. Voluntary vs. Involuntary Intoxication: Voluntary intoxication is self-induced and generally not a defense for basic intent crimes, while involuntary intoxication can be a defense if it negates mens rea. Proportionality in Self-Defence: The use of force in self-defense must be reasonable and proportional to the threat; excessive force invalidates the defence. An excellent resource for any AS or A Level Law student.

An excellent Handout for students of AS and A Level Law which revises General Defences in English Law. The Worksheets are best used with the accompanying resource: General Defences in English Law. This 9-page Handout consists of: Defences and Burden of Proof: The document includes a table to complete, showing the defences (automatism, consent, duress, insanity, intoxication, self-defense) and the burden of proof for each. Automatism and Insanity: It discusses the differences between non-insane automatism and self-induced automatism, and the principal difference between automatism and insanity. Duress and Intoxication: The document poses true or false questions about duress and intoxication, referencing various cases such as Graham, Cole, Bowen, Abdul Hussain, and others to illustrate key legal principles. Case Scenarios: Several scenarios are given for analysis, asking which defences might be appropriate and assessing the likelihood of success for each defence. An excellent resource Worksheet for any students and teachers of Law.

This PowerPoint presentation consists of 74 slides and covers all 5 of the Non-fatal Offences. It is aimed at AQA A Level Law students but could be used with anyone requiring a knowledge of this vital area of law. The PowerPoint incorporates review questions and activities and is an invaluable aid to anyone teaching this topic.