The key demonstration of
fault in operation in
criminal law - Did they
intend the crime?
The hierarchy of
levels of mens rea is
often known as
blameworthiness for
i.e. fault
Direct intent - most fault
Oblique intent - medium fault
Recklessness - least fault
A lack of mens rea will mean
that a person is not guilty at
all for example R v Clarke
(1972) states that a moment
of absent mindedness is not
substantial.
Negligence
It must be fair, just
and reasonable to
impose a duty on
someone in the case
of Hill v Chief
constable of West
Yorkshire (1990)
With the exception of
public services such as the
police because they are
only doing their job, thus
there is no fault
Harm must be foreseeable from the case
of Roe v Minister of Health - If you forsee
the harm then society considers it to be
your fault
Causation and proximity -
The Wagon Mound
Defences
If one of the defences applies (either partial or full) then the
defendants acquitted (or sentcen or reduced) as the law considers that
they are not at fault or less at fault.
M'Naghten (1984) - Insanity
Graham (1982) - Duress
Gladstone and Willams (1987) - Automatism
But what about intoxication? Kingston
(1994) says that if you are entirely
intoxicated and cannot form a mens rea
then you will be acquitted.
If you claim a defence then you're not fully at fault.
Actus Reus
you must commit the actus reus of any crime voluntary - Hill v Baxter
Causation - the rules of causation are rules
which prove a link between the
defendant's actions and the consequence
to establish that the defendant was at
fault
If there is a novus actus then the
chain of causation is broken and the
defendant is no longer put at fault - R
v Williams
Ommissions - where the defendant is held to be at
fault even though they did not act:
Stone and Dobinson - voluntary acts
Gibbins and Proctor - duty because of a relationship