Criminal Law

Modern Criminal Offences: Online Harassment, Cybercrime, and Digital Misconduct Introduction Digital technology has transformed how people communicate, work, conduct business, maintain relationships, and participate in public life. It has also created new opportunities for criminal conduct. Threats can be sent anonymously across borders, private information can be exposed to thousands Read more

Sentencing in England and Wales: Guidelines, Custodial Sentences, and Community Orders Introduction Sentencing is the stage of criminal proceedings at which a court determines the legal consequences of a conviction. It represents one of the most significant exercises of judicial discretion in the criminal justice system because the sentence must Read more

Corporate Criminal Liability: Attribution, Failure to Prevent Offences, and Corporate Responsibility Introduction Corporations occupy a central position in modern economic and social life. They employ workers, provide essential services, manage substantial financial resources, enter into complex contractual relationships, and exercise influence over markets and public institutions. Their activities can generate Read more

Criminal Defences: Self-Defence, Duress, Necessity, and Insanity Introduction Criminal liability in England and Wales depends not only on whether a person has engaged in conduct prohibited by law, but also on the circumstances in which that conduct occurred, the defendant’s state of mind, and the legal principles governing responsibility for Read more

Fraud and Financial Crime: Fraud by False Representation, Abuse of Position, and Related Offences Introduction Fraud is among the most significant forms of financial and economic crime in England and Wales. It encompasses conduct ranging from deliberately misleading a purchaser in a private transaction to sophisticated schemes involving companies, financial Read more

Theft, Robbery, Burglary, and Handling Stolen Goods Introduction: Understanding Property Offences in English Criminal Law Property offences occupy a central position in the criminal law of England and Wales. They protect the ability of individuals, businesses, institutions, and other legal persons to possess, use, control, and enjoy property without unlawful Read more

Sexual Offences: Consent, Capacity, and the Sexual Offences Act 2003 Introduction Sexual offences in England and Wales are governed principally by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a major legislative reform that reorganised the law relating to rape, sexual assault, sexual activity involving children, abuse of positions of trust, and offences Read more

Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person: Assault, Battery, ABH, and GBH Introduction Non-fatal offences against the person form one of the central areas of criminal law in England and Wales. They protect physical integrity, personal security, and, in more serious cases, the victim’s health and bodily autonomy. Although these offences are Read more

Murder and Manslaughter: Degrees of Homicide and Partial Defences Introduction Homicide occupies a distinctive place in the criminal law of England and Wales because it concerns the unlawful taking of human life. Yet the fact that one person has caused another person’s death does not, by itself, determine the criminal Read more