Case Name Case Facts Rules used Held

 The defendant was
Woolmington v DPP [1935]
AC 462
Bratty v Attorney-General of
Northern Ireland [1963] AC
386
 In criminal law a (Lord Sankey) “…it is the duty
charged with the defendant is always of the prosecution to prove the
murder of his wife innocent until proven prisoner’s guilt. If at the end
 Defendant had guilty there is reasonable doubt as
threatened wife to  The burden of proof to whether the prisoner killed
come back to him, he rests on the defendant the deceased, the prosecution
showed her a gun and to prove his defence has not made out the case
it had discharged  Juries Act 1974 and the prisoner is entitled to
resulting in her death an acquittal.”
 Issue of Automatism  For Actus Reus to be (Lord Denning) “The
 The defendant invoked the harm must requirement that [the act of the
allegedly suffers from a be voluntary accused] should be a
disease (Mental  If the defendant’s act of voluntary act is essential… in
disorder) that resulted harm was not voluntary, every criminal case. No act is
in being the cause of the defendant will not punishable if it is done
the victims death be liable involuntarily.”

 The defendant  If a person sets off a The ‘guilty’ party performed a

Mitchell [1983] 2 All ER 427
allegedly pushed down
a man in a queue
resulting in the death of
an elderly man stood in
front
chain reaction [he/she] voluntary actus reus pushing
will be responsible for down an [innocent] man who
all of the harm caused knocked over the elderly
accidentally
Khan and Khan (1998) Crim
LR 830