THE 'THIN SKULL RULE'

• The defendant must take the victim as he or she finds them.
• If the victim has something unusual about their physical or mental state which makes a injury more serious, then the defendant is liable for the more serious injury.
• R v BLAUE (1975)

  A young woman was stabbed by the defendant. She was told she needed a blood transfusion to save her life but she refused to have one as her religion forbade blood transfusions. She died and the defendant was convicted of murder. Despite the fact that her religious belief made the wound fatal, the defendant was still guilty because he had to take his victim as he found her.