types

• what are the 4 types of actus reus?

  -conduct crime

  -results crime

  -state of affairs / strict liability

  -omissions
• what is a conduct crime?

  -Ds actions are prohibited / illegal

  -doesn't have to have caused any harm or resulted in something
• give an example of a conduct crime

  dangerous driving
• what is a result crime?

  -Ds actions produce a particular result
• give some examples of a result crime

  -murder

  -death by dangerous driving
• what is state of affairs / strict liability?

  -D didn't intend to break the law, but did (no mens rea)
• give an example of strict liability crime

  -speeding without realising
• what is an omission?

  -Failure to act when they should have
• give an example of an omission

  -doctor refusing to treat a patient

  -not throwing someone a life ring when they're drowning
• for a person to be held criminally liable what does the actus reus have to have been?

  voluntary - Ds actions were result of their own conscious decision
• can a person be held criminally liable if the actus reus was involuntary?

  usually not
• in what case was a individual not prosecuted because of their involuntary action?

  R v Mitchell 1983
• what occurred in R v Mitchell 1983?

  -D tried to push into post office queue

  -Old man complained so D punched & pushed him

  -Old man fell into old lady who broke her leg & then died 3 days later

  -Old man not convicted as his action was involuntary as caused by the actions of someone else

  -D convicted of unlawful & dangerous act manslaughter
• what is an "innocent agent"

  action was involuntary with no intention
• give the case where an individual was not prosecuted due to an involuntary actus reus

  Hill v Baxter 1958
• what occurred in Hill v Baxter 1958?

  -D was speeding then some bees went into her car

  -She was distracted & crashed

  -Was not found guilty as actions to get bees away seen as involuntary as she did not intend to crash