'The unlawful killing of a person in being,
under the Queen's Peace, with malice
aforethought, express or implied'.
Unlawful killing of a person in
being, under the Queen's Peace
The killing must be unlawful.
It is lawful if done in
self-defence or in
the prevention of a
crime.
Can be a voluntary
act or omission, but
it must cause the
death of V
D must kill
a person in
being
V must have a separate
existence from the
mother and have an
independent circulation
Therefore killing a
foetus is not murder:
ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S
REFERENCE (NO.3 OF
1994) (1997)
A person who is
brain dead is not
a person in being:
MALCHEREK
Under the Queen's Peace
Killing of an enemy in the
course of war is not
murder.
The killing of a
prisoner of war
would be sufficient
for the actus reus
of murder
Malice aforethought, express or
implied by law
Intend to kill (express
malice aforethought)
Intend to cause GBH
(implied malice
aforethought)
GBH means 'really serious
harm': DPP v SMITH or
'serious harm': SAUNDERS
Can be guilty of murder
even if D did not intend to
kill: VICKERS
Cannot have the mens rea to kill
or cause GBH to a foetus as it
doesn't have a separate
existence from the mother:
ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S
REFERENCE (NO.3 OF 1994)
(1997)
D may directly intend to kill or
do GBH: MOHAN
D may indirectly kill
or cause GBH:
WOOLIN
D can be guilty if he intended to
commit a similar crime but
against a different V (Transferred
Malice): ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S
REFERENCE (NO.3 OF 1994) (1997)
The actus reus and mens rea
must be present at the same
time
Exception to this coincidence
principle is where the actus
reus is part of a larger
transaction
Will be sufficient if D forms
the mens rea at any point
during that transaction:
THABO MELI