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The Sentencing Council has introduced new guidance on ancillary orders and revised careless driving sentencing guidelines, effective 1 July 2025. The...
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a package of reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), aimed at...
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has secured guilty verdicts against eight individuals for data protection offences following its largest...
A round-up of the latest health and safety prosecutions, including a Nottingham builder prosecuted after a gas explosion in a property cellar caused...
Ofcom has launched a consultation proposing further online safety measures under the Online Safety Act 2023. The regulator is seeking views on new...
Accidents caused by the workplace environmentPost 1 October 2013On 1 October 2013, section 69 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (ERRA...
Fraudulent trading under the Fraud Act 2006Fraudulent trading under the Fraud Act 2006A defendant who is a sole trader, in a partnership or a trust,...
Hallmarking offencesThe legal requirements of hallmarkingThe Hallmarking Act 1973 (HA 1973) controls the selling of items described as 'gold',...
Bribery Act 2010—sentence trackerThis Practice Note provides a summary of key bribery convictions and alternative disposals since the implementation...
Scottish Corporate Crime horizon scanner 2025This Practice Note provides a summary of the key legal developments that are expected to impact Scottish...
Financial sanctions breach report formPlease supply as much information as possible about this suspected breach.If you require any help to complete...
Anti-bribery and corruption policy1Introduction1.1Bribery and corruption remain major issues in world trade, despite the many dedicated efforts to...
Anti-bribery and corruption—gifts and hospitality policy1Introduction1.1We run our business[es] with integrity. All of us must work together to ensure...
Internal investigations—interview invitation letterAs you may be aware, the Company is currently [being investigated by the [insert name of agency] OR...
Anti-slavery and human trafficking statement1Opening statement from senior management1.1[Name of organisation] is committed to preventing acts of...
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...
Procedure whereby a person convicted in a magistrates’ court is sent to the Crown Court for sentencing when the sentencing powers of the magistrates’ court are not considered sufficient.
Under the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 (G(L)A 2004), s 4, a person acts as a gangmaster if he supplies a worker to do work to which G(L)A 2004 applies for another person.
An incomplete or inchoate offence is the criminalisation of the attempt to commit an offence, rather than just that offence itself.