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Criminal Law: Offences Against the Person

Gross negligence manslaughter

  • 3 things to know
  • Components 2 and 3

Overview

Elements of gross negligence manslaughter and relationship generating a duty of care in this offence.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Numbers

Which case sets out the modern test for gross negligence manslaughter?

Key term

State the elements of gross negligence manslaughter.

Numbers

Which older case described the negligence required as showing disregard for life?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Which case sets out the modern test for gross negligence manslaughter?

    Model answer

    R v Adomako [1995] sets out the modern test for gross negligence manslaughter. An anaesthetist failed to notice a disconnected ventilator tube for several minutes.

  2. 2

    State the elements of gross negligence manslaughter.

    Model answer

    The defendant must owe the victim a duty of care and must breach that duty. The breach must carry a serious and obvious risk of death, must cause the death, and must be so bad as to be criminal.

  3. 3

    Which older case described the negligence required as showing disregard for life?

    Model answer

    R v Bateman (1925) described the negligence as going beyond compensation and showing disregard for the life of others. The direction was approved in R v Adomako [1995].

  4. 4

    Who decides whether the negligence was gross?

    Model answer

    The jury decides whether the breach was so bad as to amount to a crime. The judge cannot direct the jury on where that line falls.

  5. 5

    Must the risk be of death, or is a risk of serious injury enough?

    Model answer

    The breach must create a serious and obvious risk of death. A risk of serious injury alone is insufficient.

  6. 6

    Which case confirmed that gross negligence manslaughter is sufficiently certain to satisfy human rights standards?

    Model answer

    R v Misra and Srivastava [2004] held that the offence is not so uncertain as to breach Article 7. Two doctors failed to treat a patient's post-operative infection.

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