THE CHAIN OF CAUSATION

• Once it is established that there is factual causation, the prosecution must also prove that there is legal causation so that there is little chance of an innocent person being convicted.
• The link between the act and the consequence is known as the chain of causation - this must remain unbroken if there is to be criminal liability.
• The chain of causation can be broken by:

  • an act of a third party
  • the victim's own act
  • a natural but unpredictable event