LC1S144 - Criminal Law 01 Sep 2020 - 31 Aug 2025 | Version 3

Associated Module Information

Module Code: LC1S144
Module Title: Criminal Law
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Law
Faculty Sub Group: Law
Module Leader: Alexandra Dobson, Ian McKim
Module Team: Sara Davies, Hannah Coburn, Sara Hale, Gemma Sweetman, Michaela Prior
First Intended Intake: SEP 2015 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 4
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100685 - criminal law
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 3
Valid From 01 Sep 2020
Valid To 31 Aug 2025

Module Aims

To develop the student’s knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of criminal law doctrine in its social, political and human rights context.

Content Summary

• The module begins with an overview of the place of the criminal law within the criminal justice system.

• It then proceeds to an analysis of criminal liability in terms of the external elements (actus reus) and the mental elements (mens rea) of a crime.

• The concept of fault is then studied in relation to the judicial interpretation of intention, recklessness and negligence.

• Secondary party liability – with particular emphasis on the sensitive issue of ‘joint enterprise doctrine’ - is then introduced

• Students may then consider the inchoate offences.

• The law relating to defences will be introduced followed by the study of the law relating to homicide.

• The defences of loss of control and diminished responsibility (specific to murder and both provided for by the Coroners & Justice Act 2009) are considered in detail.

• Students will then study non-fatal violent offences, both sex offences, in particular the offence of rape, and other non-fatal offences.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 24
Seminar 24
Independent Study 80
Directed Study 72
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Identify and understand the ingredients of criminal liability, both generally and as they apply to factual situations
LO2 Identify the social or political or human rights contexts in which the criminal law operates

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Written Assignment (CW) Time Constrained Assessment (CW) 1 Time Constrained Assessment 120 2000 50 No 40
Written Assignment (CW) Essay (CW) 1 AETU 0 2000 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Time Constrained Assessment (CW) 1
Essay (CW) 1

Reading List

Latest Editions of:
Ashworth,
Card,
Clarkson & Keating
Dine, Gobert & Wilson
Lacey, Wells and Quick

Janet Loveless
Nicolson & Bibbings
Norrie,
N. Padfield
Simester & Sullivan
Wilson
Books (monographs) focussing on particular aspects of criminal law
Gobert and Punch
Ashworth and Mitchell (editors),
Blom-Cooper & Morris,

Morris & Blom-Cooper,

Horder,
Horder,
Temkin,
Principles of Criminal Law, OUP
Card, Cross & Jones: Criminal Law, OUP
Criminal Law: Text & Materials, Sweet & Maxwell
Cases & Materials on Criminal Law, OUP
Reconstructing Criminal Law, Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Complete Criminal Law: Text, Cases and Materials, OUP
Feminist Perspectives on Criminal Law 2000, Cavendish
Crime, Reason and History, CUP
Criminal Law (Core Text Series) OUP
Criminal Law: Theory and Doctrine, Hart Publishing
Criminal Law, Pearson

Rethinking Corporate Crime 2003, Butterworths
Rethinking English Homicide Law 2000, OUP
A Study of the Crime and Punishment for Homicide 2004, Hart Publishing
Fine Lines and Distinctions: Murder, Manslaughter and the Unlawful Taking of Human Life 2011, Waterside Press

Provocation and Responsibility 1992, OUP
Excusing Crime 2004, OUP
Rape and The Legal Process (2nd edition) 2002, OUP