LW104-6-FY-CO:
Criminal Law
2025/26
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 02 October 2025
Friday 26 June 2026
30
01 July 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
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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 6 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:
i) Identify the legal issue(s) arising
ii) 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
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John Child and David Ormerod (2023a)
Smith, Hogan and Ormerod’s Essentials of Criminal Law. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198873099.001.0001.
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Law Trove - Expand your learning, broaden your mind (no date). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://www-oxfordlawtrove-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/.
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John Child and David Ormerod (2023h)
Smith, Hogan and Ormerod’s Essentials of Criminal Law. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198873099.001.0001.
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Loveless, J., Allen, M. and Derry, C. (2022b)
Complete criminal law: text, cases, and materials. Eighth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780192855947.001.0001.
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Matthew Gibson, Karl Laird, and David Ormerod (2024c)
Smith, Hogan and Ormerod’s Criminal Law. 17th edn. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://www-oxfordlawtrove-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/display/10.1093/he/9780198890942.001.0001/he-9780198890942.
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Child, J., Ormerod, D. and Smith, J.C. (2023d)
Smith, Hogan, and Ormerod’s essentials of criminal law. 5th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/he/9780198873099.001.0001.
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John Child and David Ormerod (2023d)
Smith, Hogan and Ormerod’s Essentials of Criminal Law. Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780198873099.001.0001.
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R v Cunningham (1981). Available at:
https://justis.vlex.com/#vid/793681693.
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Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (no date). Statute Law Database. Available at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/contents.
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Homicide Act 1957 (no date). Statute Law Database. Available at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/5-6/11/section/2.
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Thomas, M. (2021) ‘Loss of Self-Control: A Reminder of the Particularly High Threshold: R v Dawson [2021] EWCA Crim 40’,
The Journal of Criminal Law, 85(2). Available at:
http://doi.org/10.1177/0022018321996085.
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Finch, E. and Fafinski, S. (2023a)
Legal skills. Ninth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780192873088.001.0001.
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Finch, E. and Fafinski, S. (2023c)
Legal skills. Ninth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780192873088.001.0001.
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Horder, J. and Ashworth, A. (2022)
Ashworth’s principles of criminal law. Tenth edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/he/9780192897381.001.0001.
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Offences against the Person Act 1861 (no date). Statute Law Database. Available at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/24-25/100/contents.
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Criminal Justice Act 1988 (no date). Statute Law Database. Available at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/33/section/39.
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The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Exam |
Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 180 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
|
Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 180 minutes during September (Reassessment Period)
|
Additional coursework information
Assessment will be split as 10% MCQ, 30% CW (essay) and 60% in person restricted materials exam. This will allow students to develop there understanding of the module through continuous feedback
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.
Dr Ebba Lekvall
The Law Education Admin Team - lawschoolug@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
Yes
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 1131 hours, 9 (0.8%) hours available to students:
1122 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Essex Law School
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