Criminal Law Assignment: Liability for Homicide Offences and Secondary Party Liability

As part of the formal assessment for the programme, you are required to submit a Criminal Law assignment. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments.

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this module you should be able to:

1. Understand the key legal principles underpinning aspects of criminal law, and their wider context.

2. Analyse and evaluate liability in relation to criminal offences, and the relateb doctrines, tests and precedents.

3. Identify and examine defences to liability for criminal offences, particularly the circumstances in which they may be used.

4. Examine how the criminal law is evolving and the potential impact on determining liability.

Your assignment should include: a title page containing your student number, the module name, the submission deadline and a word count; the appendices if relevant; and a reference list in OSCOLA format. You should address all the elements of the assignment task listed below. Please note that tutors will use the assessment criteria set out below in assessing your work.

With reference to the scenario explain which homicide offences you believe Alex and Joe might be criminally liable for.

In doing so explain:

a) The of actus reus and mens rea of the offence(s). Provide reasons for your answers and support your answers with relevant legislation and case law.

Part B

The Crown Prosecution Service also seek to prosecute Bella as a secondary party to Karl’s homicide. In a letter to Bella, explain to her why the Crown Prosecution Service believe they could charge her as a secondary party to the homicide. Your letter should explain the following…

a) Whether Bella could be charged as a secondary party to the homicide since R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8

b) Whether Bella might have been charged as a secondary to the homicide prior to R v Jogee [2016] UKSC 8 Provide reasons for your answers and support your answers with relevant legislation and case law.

Critically discuss whether it can be said to be true that R v Barton and Booth [2020] EWCA Crim 575 and R v Hinks [1998] EWCA Crim 2105 show that the crime of theft is no longer based upon the concepts of individual autonomy and subjectivit

Assignments submitted late will not be accepted and will be marked as a 0% fail. Your assessment should be submitted as a single Word (MS Word) or PDF file. For more information please see the “Guide to Submitting an Assignment” documen available on the module page on iLearn.

You must ensure that the submitted assignment is all your own work and that al sources used are correctly attributed. Penalties apply to assignments which show evidence of academic unfair practice. (See the Student Handbook which is on the homepage of your module and also in the Induction Area).

Outstanding performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject area and to confidently apply theory whilst showing awareness of any relevant ethical considerations. The work shows an excellent level of competence and confidence in managing appropriate sources and materials, initiative and excellent academic writing skills and professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows originality of thought.

Excellent performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and apply theory whilst showing some awareness of any relevant ethical considerations.

The work shows a high level of competence in managing sources and materials, initiative and very good academic writing skills and professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows originality of thought.

Very good performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and apply some theory. The work shows a good level of competence in managing sources and materials and some initiative. Academic writing skills are good and expression remains accurate overall. Good professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows some original thought.

A satisfactory to good performance which begins to analyse the subject and apply some underpinning theory. The work shows a sound level of competence in managing basic sources and materials. Academic writing skills are satisfactory and expression remains accurate overall although the piece may lack structure. Satisfactory professional skills (where appropriate). The work lacks some original thought.

Basic level of performance in which there are some omissions in understanding the subject, its underpinning theory and ethical considerations. The work shows a basic use of sources and materials. Academic writing skills are limited and there are some errors in expression and the work may lack structure overall. There are some difficulties in developing professional skills (where appropriate). The work lacks original thought and is largely imitative.