When is a defendant dishonest?

Roger intentionally damages a piece of government property (a coal-burning oven) while protesting climate change. When charged with criminal damage, he argues he has lawful excuse, because climate change is destroying the planet and he needs to draw attention to the issue. Will this defence succeed?

Can the defence of self-defence be relied on if the defendant provoked the victim to attack?

For the purposes of the Theft Act offences, when is a piece of property 'appropriated'?

Amanda creates a program designed to steal money from banking websites. She sets the program in motion. Before any money is taken from the banks, Amanda changes her mind. She calls the bank and warns them of the cyber-attack, allowing them to stop the program. Can Amanda be convicted of attempting to commit an offence?

Micah mistakenly believes that Joseph is threatening to kill her unless she robs a bank. Can she rely on her mistaken belief to establish the defence of duress?

What three elements must the prosecution prove to establish intentionally causing sexual activity?

For the purposes of gross negligence manslaughter, what factors are relevant to determining whether the negligence was gross?

A defendant agrees with another person to commit a criminal offence. In what circumstances will this not amount to criminal conspiracy?

What three elements must the defendant show to establish loss of control?

Jessie hopes that James will murder Ash. She leaves a knife by his bed, hoping this will encourage him to do the deed. James was planning to murder Ash anyway, but when he sees the knife he decides he will use it. James murders Ash with the knife. Is Jessie an accessory to murder?

Jessie knows that Ash is a serial killer. She hopes to get her own back on her brother James, and encourages Ash to kill James when he next goes hunting. Ash agrees. One night, Ash coincidentally encounters James, but does not recognise him. Ash murders James. Can Jessie be convicted as an accessory to James' murder?

Celestine is a school nurse. Mark, a seventeen-year-old, is brought in with a suspected case of tonsillitis. Mark is sulking, so he refuses to let Celestine have a look inside his mouth. She threatens to 'belt him' if he does not comply. Mark knows that school staff have hit students before, so he reluctantly allows her to look in his mouth and touch the inside with tools. Celestine is charged with battery, and argues that she has the defence of consent because Mark allowed her to do what she did. Will this defence succeed?

To be convicted of attempting to commit an offence, what mens rea must the defendant have?

Lacy burns down a house for insurance money, knowing that Eric is inside, tied to a bed and unable to escape. She claims she did not want Eric dead, but she knew he would certainly die and did not care enough to untie him first. Did Lacey intend to kill Eric?

To convict a defendant of 'procuring' an offence, the prosecution must prove that the defendant caused the offence to happen. True or false?

For the purposes of theft, is there an appropriation if as part of the appropriating act the defendant acquires indefeasible property in the object?

Can you conspire to aid or abet an offence?

For the purposes of gross negligence manslaughter, what facts may the jury take into account when determining whether there was an obvious and serious risk of death?

Michael threatens Adrian that he will reveal sensitive information if Adrian does not have sex with him. Has Michael committed blackmail?

Jenny tells Joy that she is going to beat up Misty, and that Joy can watch if she likes. Joy comes along and watches Jenny beat up Misty, but does not take part. Can Joy be convicted as an accessory to battery?

Assault is a crime of specific intent. True or false?

Camilla wants to kill her partner, Adrian. She deliberately winds them up, knowing that it will cause them to become violent. When Adrian become violent, Camilla draws a knife and stabs them. Camilla tells police that Adrian is normally very seriously violent when they start a fight. Does Camilla have a qualifying trigger for when she tries to establish the defence of loss of control?

The prosecution are trying to establish unlawful act manslaughter against a defendant who burned down a shed. While the defendant admits to committing the unlawful act, they convince the jury that a reasonable person would have thought the shed was empty. Are the prosecution likely to succeed?

For the purposes of the defence of insanity, a disease of the mind includes mental illnesses and not physical illnesses. True or false?

Tina breaks into a safe, intending to steal anything inside which is valuable. When she gets into the safe, she sees that its contents are worthless. She takes nothing. She is charged with attempted theft. Is she guilty of this offence?

What three elements must the prosecution prove to establish rape?

Richard has sex with Theresa. She does not feel in the mood, but she does not object, move or otherwise indicate this. Did she consent to sex?

Rachel owns a house which she rents out to young families. There is no one living in it at the moment as she is having the kitchen renovated. During the period in which the house is empty, it is burgled by John. Is the building a dwelling?

What four elements must the prosecution prove to establish assault by penetration?

Harley has a psychotic disorder, which leads her to believe that Arthur was awake and asked her to have sex with him. In reality, Arthur is unconscious and did not consent. When charged under section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, Harley argues that she had a reasonable belief in consent. Can her mental disorder be taken into account?

Is consent normally a defence to an offence which causes bodily harm?

Can an offence of strict liability form the basis of constructive manslaughter?

What kinds of offences can be the subject to liability for an attempt?

Harold is arrested when he is found in possession of a strange package. He is asked whether there are drugs inside, and he answers that it is very likely, but that he is not sure. The package turns out to be full of cocaine. What is Harold's state of mind with respect to the package?

What two elements must the prosecution establish to convict a defendant of an offence under section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861?

Paul knowingly makes a statement to Joanne, believing it to be false and attempting to fool Joanne into giving him money. She hands over the money. The statement just happens to be true. Has Paul committed an offence?

In which of the following situations is consent to a sex act rebuttably presumed to be absent? (Five answers)

Amanda and Kevin are both 12 years old, but Amanda tells Kevin she is 16 and Kevin believes her. Amanda tells Kevin she would like to have sex with him, and he agrees. They have sex. Has Kevin committed rape of a child under 13?

Olaf shoots at Elsa with a rifle, intending to kill her. He misses and breaks an ice sculpture. Can Olaf's mens rea against Elsa be used to complete the offence of criminal damage?

People are under a duty to retreat rather than use force in self-defence is they are able. True or false?

A defendant is on trial for murder. They are relying on the defence of loss of control. Part of the reason they killed the victim is that they discovered the victim was cheating on them. Can the jury take this into account?

For the purposes of the offence of possessing articles for fraud, the defendant does not need to physically possess the article. True or false?

Daphne is a doctor who is treating Gillian for a terminal disease. Gillian is in considerable pain and asks for morphine. Daphne agrees and gives him a dose which causes him to die several days before he would otherwise. When questioned by police, she did what she did because she thought it would be better if Gillian died, given he was in so much pain. Has Daphne committed murder?

Lacy burns down a house for insurance money, knowing that Eric is inside, handcuffed to a bed and unable to escape. She claims she did not want Eric dead. However, she says she thought that it was very likely that he would die, as she cannot remember whether the key to the handcuffs was left close enough for Eric to reach. Did Lacey intend to kill Eric?

For the purposes of theft, is there an appropriation if the defendant has the owner's permission to interact with the property?

When does a person 'possess' property for the purposes of theft?

Kristen and John decide to steal from Laura. They approach her in the street, hoping to grab her handbag. They decide that John will take the bag, while Kristen will help him escape. Just as John is reaching out to take the bag, Kristen changes his mind and decides that he does not want to be part of this. What must Kristen do to avoid being liable as an accessory?

What must the prosecution demonstrate to show one of the sexual offences against children under 16?

In which two scenarios will an act of the victim in bringing about a proscribed consequence break the chain of causation between the defendant's acts or omissions and the consequence?