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Fatal Offences Against the Person

Involuntary manslaughter

  • 2 things to know
  • Component 1

Overview

Recall questions on unlawful act manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter and on the cases defining each.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What are the elements of unlawful act manslaughter?

Numbers

What are the elements of gross negligence manslaughter?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What distinguishes involuntary manslaughter from murder?

    Model answer

    The defendant causes death without malice aforethought: there is no intention to kill or to cause grievous bodily harm.

  2. 2

    What are the two forms of involuntary manslaughter?

    Model answer

    Unlawful act (constructive) manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter.

  3. 3

    What are the elements of unlawful act manslaughter?

    Model answer

    (1) An intentional unlawful (criminal) act; (2) that is dangerous; (3) which causes death; and (4) the defendant has the mens rea for the unlawful act.

  4. 4

    Must the unlawful act be a crime rather than a civil wrong?

    Model answer

    Yes. It must be a criminal act, not merely a tort or a lawful act done negligently (R v Franklin 1883).

  5. 5

    Can an omission form the basis of unlawful act manslaughter?

    Model answer

    No. There must be a positive unlawful act; a mere omission or failure to act is not enough (R v Lowe 1973).

  6. 6

    What is the test for whether the act is 'dangerous'?

    Model answer

    An objective test: whether a sober and reasonable person would recognise that the act carried a risk of some harm to the victim (R v Church 1966).

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