Criminal law worksheet with answers

In English law, which court tries the most serious (indictable-only) offences such as murder?

1. AThe Crown Court
2. BThe Court of Appeal
3. CThe county court
4. DThe magistrates' court

In English law, theft is defined in section 1 of the Theft Act 1968 as:

1. AUsing force to obtain property belonging to another person
2. BDishonestly appropriating property belonging to another with intention to permanently deprive the other of it
3. CBorrowing property from another person without asking first
4. DDishonestly taking property belonging to another without consent, with intention to use it and later return it

The principle "nullum crimen sine lege" means that:

1. AJudges can create new crimes freely
2. BThere is no crime without a law defining it beforehand
3. CLaws apply retroactively
4. DAll crimes are punished with prison

D drives on the pavement to escape a man who is threatening to kill him. The most suitable defence is:

1. ALoss of control
2. BDuress of circumstances
3. CDiminished responsibility
4. DConsent

D, carrying an imitation gun and a threatening note, walks towards a post office to rob it but is arrested outside before entering. Under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981, D is most likely guilty of:

1. ABurglary, because D intended to enter the building
2. BRobbery, because the intention was proved
3. CAttempted robbery, because D was carrying an imitation gun and a threatening note
4. DNothing as attempted robbery yet, because D has not gone beyond preparation

"Dolus eventualis" (voorwaardelijk opzet) in Dutch criminal law means the defendant:

1. AWanted the consequence as their main goal and acted in order to bring it about
2. BKnowingly accepted the considerable chance that the consequence would occur
3. CActed entirely by accident
4. DDid not foresee the consequence at all

In R v Lloyd (1985), a cinema employee lent films to be copied and returned them within hours. The court held there was no theft because:

1. AThe employee had the cinema's permission to borrow the films for a short time
2. BThe films were returned with their "goodness or virtue" not wholly exhausted
3. CCopying films was not illegal at the time
4. DFilms are intangible property that cannot be stolen

Why is the principle of "lex certa" important in criminal law?

1. ALaws must be certain to be enforced, so the police have no discretion in applying them
2. BCriminal laws must be clear enough for people to foresee what is punishable
3. COnly certain crimes can be prosecuted
4. DJudges must be certain before sentencing