Criminal law

The English Criminal Law course will combine study of the basic principles of English criminal law with in-depth analysis of a few offences.

The course will start with an overview of the sources of English criminal law, deeply shaped by the common law tradition, before presenting the two elements of a crime according to traditional academic analysis, Actus Reus and Mens Rea. 

The course will then focus in detail on specific crimes which are significant because of their seriousness (murder and manslaughter), with an emphasis on applying the knowledge to practical scenarios. On successful completion of the course, students will have gained knowledge of the above, and the ability to apply knowledge to factual scenarios in a problem-solving context.

Course content:

• Sources of law: case law;
• Sources of law: legislation;
• Introduction: conditions for liability - brief overview and vocabulary;
• Actus Reus: conduct, including omissions, the voluntary nature of the conduct, causation and circumstances;
• mens Rea: the different types of Mens Rea, intention, recklessness, negligence, and knowledge;
• Offences against the person: homicide (murder and gross negligence manslaughter, with a brief explanation of the system of partial defences and the other two involuntary manslaughters)