LAW5023 - Criminal Law, Practice and Litigation

Objectives:

Assessment tasks are designed to enable students to demonstrate the Learning and Employability outcomes for the relevant level of study. Level Learning Outcomes are embedded in the assessment task(s) at that level. This enables a more integrated view of overall student performance at each level.

Content:

This module covers the main principles of English Criminal Law and analysis of their practical application. As such it touches upon the following subject areas:
1. Elements of offences – actus reus and mens rea.
2. Specific offences – fatal and non -fatal offences against the person, sexual offences, property offences.
3. Modes of liability –joint venture.
4. Inchoate offences -attempt and conspiracy.
5. Capacity to commit offences - insanity, automatism and intoxication.
6. Defences – self-defence, necessity, duress. Partial defences to murder, loss of control, diminished responsibility.
7. Relevance, admissibility and weight of evidence.
8. Burdens and standards of proof.
9. Competence and compellability of witnesses.
10. Special measures.
11. Examination and Cross Examination.
12. Hearsay.
13. Character Evidence.
14. Identification Evidence.
15. Confessions.
16. Expert Evidence.

This module is intended to be aligned with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) areas of fundamental knowledge; specifically, SQE topics 14 and 21 and relating to Criminal Law and Practice; Criminal Litigation.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Workshops
Hours: 60
Intended Group Size: 60 (full cohort)

Guided independent study
Hours: 240

Further Information Relating to Assessment

The summative assessment will be supplemented with formative assessment throughout the module. Weekly multiple- choice tests will be made available via the virtual learning environment, moodle, which will provide students with immediate feedback as to their understanding. The multiple- choice format has the added advantage of preparing students for progression to the SQE which is primarily assessed by multiple choice tests. In addition, students will be given the opportunity to engage with scenario and essay based tasks and both tutor assessed feedback and peer assessed feedback will be provided ensuring students are fully prepared for their summative assessment.

The summative assessments will be split into 2 components and will be designed to assess both the core knowledge of the subject as well as enabling evaluation and application and the ability to demonstrate practical skills through the conduct of an oral presentation.

Further details of assessment are available in the Assessment Handbook for your programme and in Assessment Briefs provided by Module Tutors.

Assessment:

001 Essay; 2,500 words; end of semester 1 50%
002 Oral presentation - Advocacy; 15 minutes; end of semester 2 50%
201 Essay; 2,000 words; end of semester 1 50%
202 Oral presentation - Advocacy; 15 minutes; end of semester 2 50%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Stephen Forster
Level - 5
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5YL

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