Mens rea

• Mohan (Intention)

  Gives definition of direct intention
• Woolin (Intention)

  sets out virtual reality test for indirect Intention
• Matthews and Alleyne (intention)

  Confirms that the virtual certainty test in Woolin allows jury to infer intention
• Cunningham (recklessness)

  Defendant broke pre-pay gas meter to steal money and gas escaped into next door and neighbour became ill - sets out definition for subjective recklessness
• Fagan V MPC (contemporaneity rule)

  Defendant accidently stopped car on policeman's foot but when asked to remove he refused and swore at him - continuing act where actus reus committed over period of time
• Church (contemporaneity rule)

  Defendant panicked victim was dead and threw unconscious body into the river where she drowned - chain or series of events
• Mitchell (transferred malice)

  Defendant pushed elderly man which caused him to fall on elderly lady who died.
• Latimer (transferred malice)

  Defendant hit victim 1 with belt but it recoiled and hit victim 2 and a bystander
• Pemblition (transferred malice)

  Defendant threw stone but missed intended victim and broke a window - didn't have intention to break window
• Alphacell V Woodward (strict liability)

  Defendants were papermakers and there was an overflow from a tank which caused polluted water to enter a river - still guilty even though event couldn't be predicted
• Sweet V Parsley (strict liability)

  Not strict liability as HOL decided statute didn't specifically exclude mens rea
• Gammon LTD V Attorney - general for Hong Kong (strict liability)

  sets out general criteria for a crime to be strict liability