LW104-5-FY-CO:
Criminal Law
2022/23
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 06 October 2022
Friday 30 June 2023
30
13 October 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LLB M122 English and French Law (Maitrise),
BA MVC5 Philosophy and Law,
BA MVC6 Philosophy and Law (Including Placement Year),
BA MVC8 Philosophy and Law (Including Foundation Year),
BA VM51 Philosophy and Law (Including Year Abroad),
BA VM58 Philosophy and Law (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
LLB M103 Law (Senior Status),
LLB M123 Licence English and French Law (Double Degree),
BA VM10 History and Law,
BA VM11 History and Law (Including Foundation Year),
BA VM12 History and Law (including Placement Year),
BA VM13 History and Law (including Year Abroad)
This module, which is taught across the academic year, introduces students to the substantive criminal law of England and Wales. This will involve a study of the law governing criminal liability.
The module aims to introduce and develop understanding of Criminal Law
By the end of the module students at level 5 should be able to demonstrate the following:
1. Knowledge and understanding of the legal elements of criminal liability and the major criminal offences and defences
2. An understanding of the criminal law in its wider social, political, and philosophical context
3. An ability to read, understand, and analyse judicial decisions
4. An ability to break down a criminal law statute to its component parts and to interpret the statute
5. An ability to analyse and answer factual problems raising issues of criminal liability, and, in particular, to be able to do the following:
a) Identify the legal issue(s) arising
b) Identify and explain the relevant law
6. Engage in legal reasoning and problem-solving by applying the law, using relevant statutes and case-law, to the factual scenario
7. Appreciate the importance of facts and how they can affect legal analysis
8. An ability to evaluate the criminal law and to present a coherent oral and written argument on that basis
Indicative Syllabus:
1. An Introduction to Criminal Law:
-Preliminary matters: Classification, Procedure, the Courts, Sentencing, and Appeals
-Criminal Law Theory
2. The Elements of Crime: Actus Reus
3. The Elements of Crime: Mens Rea
Intention, Recklessness, Negligence
4. Offences Against the Person: Assault & Consent as a defence to Offences Against the Person
5. Homicide
Murder, Voluntary Manslaughter: Loss of Control & Diminished Responsibility, Involuntary Manslaughter: Constructive Manslaughter, Gross Negligence Manslaughter, Reckless Manslaughter
6. Non-Consensual Sexual Offences: Rape, Sexual Assault,
7. Property Offences (Theft)
8. Defences: Incapacity, Infancy, Insanity, Automatism, Mistake, Intoxication
9. Defences: Other General Defences
Duress, Duress of Circumstances, Necessity, Public/Private Defence
10. Inchoate Crimes: Attempt
11. Parties to Crime
Weekly lectures and bi-weekly tutorials
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Formative Essay (LW104 Criminal Law) |
|
0% |
| Coursework |
Multiple Choice Quizzes - Continuous Assessment (LW104 Criminal Law) |
|
50% |
| Coursework |
Essay (LW104 Criminal Law) |
|
50% |
| Exam |
Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during Summer (Main Period)
|
| Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during September (Reassessment Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Ebba Lekvall, email: ebba.lekvall@essex.ac.uk.
Mr Simon Cooper, Dr Audrey Guinchard, Angela Francis, Dr Ebba Lekvall
ebba.lekvall@essex.ac.uk
Yes
No
No
Dr Steven Cammiss
University of Birmingham
Associate Professor
Available via Moodle
Of 88 hours, 44 (50%) hours available to students:
12 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
32 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Essex Law School
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.