Offences against the person and property

Murder and manslaughter

Murder is an offence that can only be tried in the Crown Court and requires proof of an unlawful killing of any human being caused by the act or omission of the defendant with the intent to kill, or cause grievous bodily harm (GBH). There are three special defences to murder: loss of control resulting from a qualifying trigger, diminished responsibility and killing in pursuance of a suicide pact. Under the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965, the penalty for murder for an offender aged 21 or over is mandatory life imprisonment. Practice Note: Murder details the elements of the offence, explains what is meant by ‘unlawful killing’ and ‘human being’. It also considers what intervening acts are, what the consequence of the absence of a body is, whether there must be an intention to kill or cause GBH, what happens if there is an unintended victim, what the special and general defences to murder are, what alternative verdicts can be given and the possible sentences for murder.

Manslaughter can be classified as either voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary manslaughter