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.
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Law360, Expert analysis: On 2 September 2025, HM Treasury (HMT) published draft regulations that would amend the UK Money Laundering Regulations, or...
Law360, London: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) outlined its next steps to prevent financial crime at its annual general meeting (AGM) on 9...
A round-up of the latest environmental enforcement, including a dairy company fined for slurry pollution of a Dorset river....
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has updated its Product Safety Report following an industrial explosion involving a Diferro sublimation...
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has published guidance detailing the consolidation of UK sanctions designations into a single...
Employees' duties to take reasonable care for health and safety at workEvery employee is under a duty under section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work...
Directors and criminal liabilityThis Practice Note describes the criminal offences that are of most relevance to company directors, and:•focuses on...
Unauthorised business and enforcement powers of the FCA—one minute guideStop Press: On 3 June 2025, the FCA published Policy Statement PS25/5,...
Supreme Court—completing an application for permission or notice of appeal and how to respond—appeals pre-2 December 2024This Practice Note provides...
Reporting restrictions in criminal casesIn law, the default position when dealing with applications for reporting restrictions is the general...
Anti-bribery and corruption—charitable and political donations policy1Introduction1.1We run our business[es] with integrity. All of us must work...
Anti-bribery and corruption policy1Introduction1.1Bribery and corruption remain major issues in world trade, despite the many dedicated efforts to...
Upjohn warning (US)I am a lawyer for [insert organisation name]. I represent only [insert organisation name], and I do not represent you personally.I...
Abatement notice for a statutory nuisance made under the section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990[name] [District] [Borough] [City]...
Financial crime prevention—agents, intermediaries, associated persons, etc policy1Introduction1.1We run our business[es] with integrity. All of us...
Common assault and batteryThe offences of common assault and batteryTechnically, the offences of assault and battery are separate summary offences. An...
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 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 harmThe offence of actual bodily harmThe offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) can be tried in...
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 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 casesThe subjective test for recklessnessCertain statutory and common law offences allow the prosecution to prove mens rea on...
Involuntary manslaughterInvoluntary manslaughter—introductionManslaughter can be classified as either voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary manslaughter...
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 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 casesCriminal offences are generally divided into two categories: •conduct crimes, and •result crimesA...
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 intentThe offence of causing grievous bodily harm with intentWounding or causing grievous bodily harm...
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 proceedingsFor information on how criminal prosecutions are commenced in England and Wales, see Practice Notes:...
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 killThis Practice Note covers the offence of threats to kill. It looks at what the prosecution must prove and explores each of the elements...
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...
A factor indicating either a higher than usual level of culpability on the part of the offender, or a greater than usual degree of harm caused by the offence and which leads to a more severe sentence being imposed on conviction.
'Mutual legal assistance' is assistance between different States in relation, for example, to the service of process and the obtaining and use of evidence.
A compellable witness is one who may lawfully be required to give evidence and, while separate from the question of competence, witnesses who are competent to testify are generally also compellable.