The Structure of a Criminal Offence

Criminal Defences

In this course, Dr Mark Dsouza (University College London) explores the criminal defences. In the first module, we identify the ingredients of a criminal offence, and corresponding defence pleas. In the second module, we investigate the insanity defence. In the third module, we look at the defence of automatism, before discussing intoxication in the fourth module. In the fifth module, we move from denials of elements of an offence to affirmative defences, beginning with self-defence. In the sixth module we examine the true excuse of duress, before finally looking at the justification of necessity in the seventh module.

The Structure of a Criminal Offence

In this module, we outline the structure of a criminal defence, focusing in particular on (i) the ingredients of a criminal offence and corresponding defence pleas (ii) pleas which negate elements of an offence (iii) affirmative defences.