Criminal law worksheet with answers

Free printable Criminal law worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

Necessity was rejected as a defence to murder in the famous shipwreck case of:

  1. AR v Brown
  2. BR v Dudley and Stephens
  3. CR v Miller
  4. DR v Collins
2.Easy

In English law, rape is defined in which statute?

  1. AThe Offences Against the Person Act 1861
  2. BThe Sexual Offences Act 2003
  3. CThe Criminal Justice Act 1988
  4. DThe Protection from Harassment Act 1997
3.Easy

In criminal cases, the prosecution must usually prove guilt:

  1. ABeyond reasonable doubt
  2. BOn the balance of probabilities
  3. CWith at least three witnesses
  4. DWith a confession
4.Medium

D makes repeated silent phone calls to V, causing her psychiatric illness. Following R v Ireland, D can be guilty of:

  1. AAn assault, as silent calls can cause apprehension of immediate force
  2. BOnly harassment, because no force was used
  3. CNo offence, because words or silence can never amount to an assault in law
  4. DOnly a civil wrong, because no physical harm occurred
5.Medium

D buys a substance believing it is heroin and intends to sell it on. In fact it is harmless powder. Following R v Shivpuri, D is:

  1. AGuilty of the full offence of dealing drugs
  2. BNot guilty, because the substance was harmless
  3. CGuilty of attempt, as impossibility is no defence under the 1981 Act
  4. DNot guilty, because attempting the impossible is no offence under the 1981 Act
6.Medium

Involuntary intoxication can be a defence when:

  1. AThe defendant was less inhibited but still formed intent
  2. BIt meant the defendant lacked the required mens rea
  3. CThe defendant chose to drink heavily
  4. DThe offence is a strict liability offence
7.Hard

Conspiracy in English law requires:

  1. AAn agreement between two or more people to commit a crime, with intent that it be carried out
  2. BA written plan
  3. CAt least one of the conspirators to have carried out an overt act towards committing the agreed crime
  4. DThe crime to be actually committed
8.Hard

In Tesco Supermarkets v Nattrass (1972), Tesco avoided liability because:

  1. AThe customer had not paid for the goods
  2. BThe store manager was not part of the company's "directing mind and will"
  3. CCompanies can never commit offences that require proof of any mental element
  4. DThe offence was a strict liability offence

Answer key

  1. 1. B · R v Dudley and Stephens
  2. 2. B · The Sexual Offences Act 2003
  3. 3. A · Beyond reasonable doubt
  4. 4. A · An assault, as silent calls can cause apprehension of immediate force
  5. 5. C · Guilty of attempt, as impossibility is no defence under the 1981 Act
  6. 6. B · It meant the defendant lacked the required mens rea
  7. 7. A · An agreement between two or more people to commit a crime, with intent that it be carried out
  8. 8. B · The store manager was not part of the company's "directing mind and will"

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