U.K. Criminal Law Trivia Quiz

Answer: Magistrates Court

Summary offences, such as common assault, are dealt with in the magistrates court. The magistrates only have limited powers however, and it is important to remember that most criminal cases begin in a magistrates court, but are passed onto the crown court if they are serious crimes (e.g. rape/ manslaughter).

Answer: Theft Act 1968

Theft can be found under section 1 of the Theft Act 1968, Burglary under section 9 and robbery under section 8. There is a Theft Act 1978 but this does not include these particular crimes. The main section a student learns about in the Theft Act 1978 is section 3- making off without payment.

Answer: the guilty mind

In Latin, "mens rea" means "guilty mind" and it is used in law to explain the intent that the criminal had when they committed the crime. For example, the mens rea for theft is the intention to permanently deprive and dishonestly appropriate an item.

Answer: Collection

Theft is defined in section 1 of the Theft Act 1968 as 'The dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it'.

Answer: stipendiary magistrate

A judge is legally qualified and paid but he or she does not work in a magistrates court. A lay magistrate is not paid or qualified and must sit on a bench as one of three, compared to a stipendiary magistrate who can sit on their own.

Answer: Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act

The Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act (1861) is old law, but good law. Wounding with intent is a serious crime and the defendant would have to go to crown court and may get a life sentence.

Answer: Section 47

Section 47 deals with ABH (actual bodily harm) which can result in 5 years in prison if the defendant is found guilty. Section 20 deals with wounding without intent and Section 18 deals with wounding with intent.

Answer: Gross Negligence

Gross negligence is when a breach of duty caused the victim's death and mainly refers to doctors/ medical professionals. Provocation, suicide pact and diminished responsibility are all examples of voluntary manslaughter.

Answer: Aggravated Burglary

Aggravated burglary carries a sentence of life imprisonment and is when the defendant commits burglary (section 9) with an offensive weapon.

Answer: Article 10

Article 10 refers to the right to freedom of speech, but there are limitations. These are discrimination, contempt of court, national security, breach of the deformation law, and breach of the obscenity law. Article 2 is the right to life, article 11 is the right to freedom of association and article 5 is the right to liberty.