About Corporate Crime
Over the last ten years, the Government has passed a series of laws creating new corporate criminal offences - from corporate manslaughter, money laundering, bribery and insider dealing to environmental health and consumer protection. Keeping on top of the latest laws, cases and commentary is a challenge – but the stakes are higher than ever.
Bribery and corruption
Businesses facing prosecution for recent or historic bribery and corruption offences need quick, accurate, and practical advice on investigations and self-reporting. Our content offers unique practical insight.
Health and safety offences
Investigations into workplace accidents can be lengthy and complex. Our content provides practical advice on health and safety and gross negligence manslaughter offences, investigations and prosecutions.
Private prosecutions
Private prosecutions are on the rise, as businesses see it as a way to secure justice in financial crime cases. Our bespoke suite supports anyone seeking to bring and challenge private prosecutions.
Keeping up to date
As the scope and volume of corporate criminal offences increase, keeping track of changes is a constant challenge. Our weekly highlights and trackers keep you up to date with all the latest developments.
Topics We Cover
Latest Corporate Crime News
A round-up of recent corporate health and safety prosecutions, including a food wholesaler fined after a worker lost a leg and a construction company...
Chair of the Home Office Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences, Jonathan Fisher KC has published an update outlining the progress of the...
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced that Raymondip Bedi and Patrick Mavanga have been sentenced to a combined 12 years’ imprisonment...
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has published clearer guidance on building strong criminal case files in collaboration with police forces. A...
In HM Attorney General for England and Wales v British Broadcasting Corp; R (on the application of ‘Beth’) v The Investigatory Powers Tribunal [2025]...
Latest Corporate Crime Practice Notes
Overseas production ordersIntroduction to overseas production ordersThe Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Act 2019 (C(OPO)A 2019) creates overseas...
Dangerous drivingFor detailed guidance on dangerous driving in cases involving a fatality, see Practice Note: Death by dangerous driving.The offence...
Anti-social Behaviour—the Civil InjunctionReform of anti-social behaviour powers (2014)The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (ABCPA...
Stop and search powersFamiliarity with stop and search powers is important because where a search leads to an arrest, the legality of the stop and...
ForgeryOffence of making a false instrumentA person is guilty of forgery under section 1 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 (FCA 1981) if they...
Latest Corporate Crime Precedents
Product recall notice (or corrective announcement)IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING—PRODUCT [RECALL OR [ insert details of alternate corrective action (eg...
Internal investigation—document retention noticeStrictly Private & ConfidentialNot to be circulated outside of [insert organisation's name][...
Product safety incident plan (PSIP)1Management commitmentPerson with responsibility for the Product Safety Incident Plan (PSIP)[Insert name and...
Anti-bribery and corruption policy1Introduction1.1Bribery and corruption remain major issues in world trade, despite the many dedicated efforts to...
Judicial review—letter before claim[Insert the name and address of the proposed defendant]Dear [insert organisation name]Letter before claim in...
Latest Corporate Crime Q&As
Featured Corporate Crime content
Common assault and battery
Common assault and batteryThe offences of common assault and batteryTechnically, the offences of assault and battery are separate summary offences. An...
Affray
AffrayAffray is an offence created by the Public Order Act 1986 (POA 1986). It can be tried in either the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court. The...
Self-defence
Self defenceSelf defenceSelf defence is an absolute defence based on the evidence which can apply in crimes committed by force. Section 76 of the...
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm
Assault occasioning actual bodily harmThe offence of actual bodily harmThe offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) can be tried in...
Criminal act or omission
Criminal act or omissionFor a person to be found guilty of a criminal offence it must be shown that they:•acted in a particular way, or•failed to act...
Strict liability
Strict liabilityStrict liability applies to offences for which the prosecution is not required to prove mens rea for one or more elements of the...
Recklessness in criminal cases
Recklessness in criminal casesThe subjective test for recklessnessCertain statutory and common law offences allow the prosecution to prove mens rea on...
Involuntary manslaughter
Involuntary manslaughterInvoluntary manslaughter—introductionManslaughter can be classified as either voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary manslaughter...
Common law offence of false imprisonment
Common law offence of false imprisonmentThe offence of false imprisonmentFalse imprisonment is a common law offence but it is more common as a civil...
Entrapment
Entrapment There is no defence of entrapment in English law but it is considered to be an abuse of the process of the court for state agents to lure a...
Causation and intervening acts in criminal cases
Causation and intervening acts in criminal casesCriminal offences are generally divided into two categories: •conduct crimes, and •result crimesA...
Causing fear or provocation of violence
Causing fear or provocation of violenceThe offence of causing fear or provocation of violenceThe offence of causing fear or provocation of violence...
Wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intent
Wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with intentThe offence of causing grievous bodily harm with intentWounding or causing grievous bodily harm...
Burden and standard of proof in criminal proceedings
Burden and standard of proof in criminal proceedingsThere are two kinds of ‘burden’ in criminal proceedings:•the legal burden, and•the evidential...
Time limits for commencing criminal proceedings
Time limits for commencing criminal proceedingsFor information on how criminal prosecutions are commenced in England and Wales, see Practice Notes:...
Specific and basic intent
Specific and basic intentIntention refers to the outcome sought by the defendant. Offences may be described as either ones of ‘basic intent’ or of...
Threats to kill
Threats to killThis Practice Note covers the offence of threats to kill. It looks at what the prosecution must prove and explores each of the elements...
Automatism
AutomatismDefinition of automatismAn act is done in a state of Automatism if it is done by the body without control by the mind, (eg it is a spasm or...
Associated legal terms
Arraignment
The formal process of putting charges to the defendant in the Crown Court.
False
False may mean 'deceitful' or 'erroneous'.
Indictable Only
An offence which is triable only on indictment in the Crown Court. An adult defendant must be sent forthwith to the Crown Court from the magistrates’ court if charged with an indictable-only offence.
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