Role of a jury One of the most well known features of the English legal system is the jury. Juries have been used for centuries and remain an important part of the criminal justice system today. They ensure that ordinary members of the public play a direct role in deciding whether someone accused of a crime is guilty or not guilty. This blog will explain the role of a jury throughout a criminal trial. A jury is only used in the Crown Court, which deals with the most serious c

The aims of sentencing The Aims of Sentencing in English Law When a person is found guilty of a criminal offence, the judge or magistrate must decide on an appropriate sentence. Before the magistrates or judges can choose a punishment, they first must consider what they are trying to achieve through that sentence. Sentencing is not simply about punishing someone; it is also about protecting society, reducing crime, helping offenders change their behaviour, and supporting vict

Loss of Control Explained Loss of control is a partial defence to murder, here the law is recognising that the defendant has killed the victim but they are not fully liable for murder as they have acted out of a loss of control. The law therefore provides a partial defence to murder in these circumstances and if the defence is successful, the conviction is reduced to voluntary manslaughter (loss of control). This is important because it removes the mandatory life sentence and

Intoxication Intoxication is a partial defence within criminal law, it provides a defence when the defendant was unable to form the mens rea for the crime as their state of mind was affected by an intoxicating substance such as: alcohol illegal drugs solvents prescribed medication spiked drinks The rules of this defence and availability, are quite strict this is because the courts do not want people to escape liability just because they were under the influence of