Researching Robbery Under the Theft Act 1968

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of English law and its procedural rules

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

·fundamental knowledge of the sources of English law, the structure of the English legal system and its procedural rules, and understanding of the legal professions.

2Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

·ability to research and apply the law in order to produce clear, logical and well-structured arguments supported by appropriately referenced sources.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

Assessment 2 is a research portfolio comprising of a research report of up to 1,500 words and a research diary of up to 1,500 words.

PART 1 Research report

You work as a research assistant for a Barrister who has been instructed in a trial of two men accused of an offence contrary to the Theft Act of 1968.  The two men were accused of stealing £10 in cash and taking numerous other items from a shop.

The Barrister’s client, Brian, intends to plead not guilty to the charge of robbery and it is known that the other man intends to plead guilty to the charge.  You have been informed that you will be attending the plea hearing with the Barrister.  

You have been asked by the Barrister to prepare a report as to the likely interpretation of the Act in relation to the term ‘robbery’. You are instructed to consider the rules of construction, the aids to interpretation and any relevant presumptions.

Part 2 Research diary

In your research diary you are expected to evidence and reflect upon the way in which you have produced your research report. Your research diary should be a first-person narrative that considers the following issues:

·how you understood the task that has been set

·how you carried out research of the relevant sources

·how you identified issues that are relevant to answering the question and applied them

·how you communicated your answer

·how you referenced your sources.

When considering these above stages, you are expected to assess and reflect on the extent to which you have developed your research skills, your knowledge of law and the ability to communicate and use that knowledge in writing.

Note on academic integrity: in all assessments, you are expected to adhere strictly to the principles of academic integrity. All written assignments are submitted electronically and checked for originality through Turnitin. In addition, should any doubt arise as to whether the written work submitted for assessment is your own work, you will be called by the unit coordinator for the purpose of a viva voce examination on the assignment.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

In order to pass Assessment 2 you will need to:

·correctly identify the legal issues which arise from the topics under examination;

·identify and apply all the relevant rules, skills and knowledge acquired whilst studying on the unit in order to provide sound legal analysis of these issues.

·reflect upon your own research, writing, legal referencing and citation skills development, identify areas for improvement and the appropriate mechanisms for doing so.

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

We will be filling this section in together in class on 14/12/2020 make sure you have downloaded/printed out the Assignment Brief and bring it to the session with you.

How does assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

In your scheduled sessions, you will learn how to adopt a critical approach to legal practice. This will be done through lectures with discussion points testing your ability to link legal and professional principles together, and seminars which give you the chance to participate in the learning process by presenting legal arguments in a concise and well-structured manner.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.

Feedback to your assignment will be released 20 working days after the deadline. You are strongly encouraged to engage with the feedback and follow any actions suggested by your examiner.