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Official OCR A2 Criminal Law 2016 Thread

Hey guys, not sure if there is a thread for this yet? If you are taking the Criminal Law paper this summer on the OCR Specification, make sure you leave a reply to get involved. We can use this thread to help each other with anything we don't understand, and to leave our opinion on what topics you think are likely to come up :smile:

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Reply 1
My law teacher said these were likely to come up on Section A:

Basic: Mens Rea (advised not to do it) or Attempts
Offence: Non-fatal or Theft
Defense: Intoxication as hasn't been on for 7 past exams (since 2011 Jan)
:biggrin:
Reply 2
Original post by xabsx
My law teacher said these were likely to come up on Section A:

Basic: Mens Rea (advised not to do it) or Attempts
Offence: Non-fatal or Theft
Defense: Intoxication as hasn't been on for 7 past exams (since 2011 Jan)
:biggrin:


Are you serious?! It's a pretty key part of an offence! :confused:
Original post by xabsx
Hey guys, not sure if there is a thread for this yet? If you are taking the Criminal Law paper this summer on the OCR Specification, make sure you leave a reply to get involved. We can use this thread to help each other with anything we don't understand, and to leave our opinion on what topics you think are likely to come up :smile:


Original post by Mimir
Are you serious?! It's a pretty key part of an offence! :confused:


I know two geniuses @0123456543210 and @SinsNotTragedies who will be able to assist you although they disappeared when I posted exam questions from the Cambridge International Exam board for A-level law and I have not seen them since.

These were the questions I posted on the forum for them to answer but I have not heard from them since.

(1) Ali’s mother was dying from a cancerous brain tumour. Caring for her and watching her dying in this way caused Ali to suffer from severe stress and depression. Unable to watch her suffering any longer, he decides to put her out of her misery by poisoning the cup of cocoa that she drinks before going to sleep. Ali slips some surgical spirit into her cocoa, believing that this is poisonous, although it is, in fact, harmless. His mother drinksthe cocoa, but dies during that night of a brain hemorrhage caused by her tumour. Discuss Ali’s liability, if any, for his mother’s death.

2) ‘The common law doctrine of joint enterprise liability is not fit for purpose. Despite the best efforts of the judges to clarify the law, statutory reform is required.’ Discuss.

3) Billal, a drug addict, asks Labilah, his wife, to inject him with heroin. She protests but, knowing he will do it himself if she refuses, complies with his request. A few minutes later Billal falls unconscious. Labilah feels his pulse, which is faint. She panics and runs out of the house. Although she knows Billal is very ill, she fails to call the emergency services, fearful that she will be held responsible for his condition. After two hours, she calls an ambulance. It takes a further hour for it to arrive because the ambulance workers decided to finish a game of cards. When they eventually arrive, they find Billal dead. If Billal had received medical attention within an hour of his collapse, his death would have been prevented.Discuss.

4) Chokri, who suffered from a delusion that he was God’s cousin, had been told by the spirit that lived in his washing machine that the devil was looking for him. He was very frightened by this. When Chokri saw his neighbour Pakiza’s cat staring at him, he became convinced that it was the devil. Although he knew it was wrong to harm animals, he killed the cat. He then set fire to his garden shed in case any other devils were lurking in there.The spirit which had followed him outside, told him he must now go into Pakiza’s house and meditate. Chokri found an open window and entered Pakiza’s house. Thinking Pakiza would not mind, he helped himself to a glass of milk and a biscuit, said hello to the spirit that lived in the biscuit tin and began to meditate.While he was meditating, it occurred to him that Pakiza had rather a lot of ornaments in her house and he thought she would be happier without them. He put them all in a suitcase he found in a cupboard so that he could give them to the local charity shop. As he was about to leave the house. He saw one that he had missed and picked it up to put it in the suitcase. Just then, Pakiza arrived home. Thinking that she would try to stop him, he hit her with the ornament and ran out of thehouse. Chokri’s other neighbour, Jamil, had a narrow escape when the fire from Chokri's garden shed spread to Jamil’s shed in which Jamil was working. Although Jamil managed to escape unhurt, the shed was destroyed. Advise Chokri.
Original post by Audrey18
I know two geniuses @0123456543210 and @SinsNotTragedies who will be able to assist you although they disappeared when I posted exam questions from the Cambridge International Exam board for A-level law and I have not seen them since.

These were the questions I posted on the forum for them to answer but I have not heard from them since.

(1) Ali’s mother was dying from a cancerous brain tumour. Caring for her and watching her dying in this way caused Ali to suffer from severe stress and depression. Unable to watch her suffering any longer, he decides to put her out of her misery by poisoning the cup of cocoa that she drinks before going to sleep. Ali slips some surgical spirit into her cocoa, believing that this is poisonous, although it is, in fact, harmless. His mother drinksthe cocoa, but dies during that night of a brain hemorrhage caused by her tumour. Discuss Ali’s liability, if any, for his mother’s death.

2) ‘The common law doctrine of joint enterprise liability is not fit for purpose. Despite the best efforts of the judges to clarify the law, statutory reform is required.’ Discuss.

3) Billal, a drug addict, asks Labilah, his wife, to inject him with heroin. She protests but, knowing he will do it himself if she refuses, complies with his request. A few minutes later Billal falls unconscious. Labilah feels his pulse, which is faint. She panics and runs out of the house. Although she knows Billal is very ill, she fails to call the emergency services, fearful that she will be held responsible for his condition. After two hours, she calls an ambulance. It takes a further hour for it to arrive because the ambulance workers decided to finish a game of cards. When they eventually arrive, they find Billal dead. If Billal had received medical attention within an hour of his collapse, his death would have been prevented.Discuss.

4) Chokri, who suffered from a delusion that he was God’s cousin, had been told by the spirit that lived in his washing machine that the devil was looking for him. He was very frightened by this. When Chokri saw his neighbour Pakiza’s cat staring at him, he became convinced that it was the devil. Although he knew it was wrong to harm animals, he killed the cat. He then set fire to his garden shed in case any other devils were lurking in there.The spirit which had followed him outside, told him he must now go into Pakiza’s house and meditate. Chokri found an open window and entered Pakiza’s house. Thinking Pakiza would not mind, he helped himself to a glass of milk and a biscuit, said hello to the spirit that lived in the biscuit tin and began to meditate.While he was meditating, it occurred to him that Pakiza had rather a lot of ornaments in her house and he thought she would be happier without them. He put them all in a suitcase he found in a cupboard so that he could give them to the local charity shop. As he was about to leave the house. He saw one that he had missed and picked it up to put it in the suitcase. Just then, Pakiza arrived home. Thinking that she would try to stop him, he hit her with the ornament and ran out of thehouse. Chokri’s other neighbour, Jamil, had a narrow escape when the fire from Chokri's garden shed spread to Jamil’s shed in which Jamil was working. Although Jamil managed to escape unhurt, the shed was destroyed. Advise Chokri.


I actually do WJEC so I'm not familiar with the OCR specification. :tongue: I assume it might be resoundingly similar though... :biggrin:
Reply 5
Some starters for 10 on these questions:

Original post by Audrey18


(1) Ali’s mother was dying from a cancerous brain tumour. Caring for her and watching her dying in this way caused Ali to suffer from severe stress and depression. Unable to watch her suffering any longer, he decides to put her out of her misery by poisoning the cup of cocoa that she drinks before going to sleep. Ali slips some surgical spirit into her cocoa, believing that this is poisonous, although it is, in fact, harmless. His mother drinksthe cocoa, but dies during that night of a brain hemorrhage caused by her tumour. Discuss Ali’s liability, if any, for his mother’s death.


The legal issue here is the mens rea. If all the elements of both actus reus and mens rea of Murder are made out, then you have the offence. The malice aforethought might be key here. If all elements of the offence are made out, but he did not in fact Murder her, the offence is not complete. There is still an offence in here, however. It may still be attempt, or inchoate (incomplete).


2) ‘The common law doctrine of joint enterprise liability is not fit for purpose. Despite the best efforts of the judges to clarify the law, statutory reform is required.’ Discuss.


This has just been altered in the Court of Appeal. The BBC did some coverage of it.
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35598896 and https://www.supremecourt.uk/.../uksc-2015-0015-judgment.pdf


3) Billal, a drug addict, asks Labilah, his wife, to inject him with heroin. She protests but, knowing he will do it himself if she refuses, complies with his request. A few minutes later Billal falls unconscious. Labilah feels his pulse, which is faint. She panics and runs out of the house. Although she knows Billal is very ill, she fails to call the emergency services, fearful that she will be held responsible for his condition. After two hours, she calls an ambulance. It takes a further hour for it to arrive because the ambulance workers decided to finish a game of cards. When they eventually arrive, they find Billal dead. If Billal had received medical attention within an hour of his collapse, his death would have been prevented.Discuss.


Consider the actus reus and mens rea first. Then consider the defences (intoxication by drugs).

This question verges on Tort however. There is a question of Novus Actus Interveniens (an act so potent that it breaks the chain of causation). Consider this in the Crime part of the question too (IE: Is the accused actually responsible for the victim's death?).


4) Chokri, who suffered from a delusion that he was God’s cousin, had been told by the spirit that lived in his washing machine that the devil was looking for him. He was very frightened by this. When Chokri saw his neighbour Pakiza’s cat staring at him, he became convinced that it was the devil. Although he knew it was wrong to harm animals, he killed the cat. He then set fire to his garden shed in case any other devils were lurking in there.The spirit which had followed him outside, told him he must now go into Pakiza’s house and meditate. Chokri found an open window and entered Pakiza’s house. Thinking Pakiza would not mind, he helped himself to a glass of milk and a biscuit, said hello to the spirit that lived in the biscuit tin and began to meditate.While he was meditating, it occurred to him that Pakiza had rather a lot of ornaments in her house and he thought she would be happier without them. He put them all in a suitcase he found in a cupboard so that he could give them to the local charity shop. As he was about to leave the house. He saw one that he had missed and picked it up to put it in the suitcase. Just then, Pakiza arrived home. Thinking that she would try to stop him, he hit her with the ornament and ran out of thehouse. Chokri’s other neighbour, Jamil, had a narrow escape when the fire from Chokri's garden shed spread to Jamil’s shed in which Jamil was working. Although Jamil managed to escape unhurt, the shed was destroyed. Advise Chokri.


Blimey. Offences to consider:

Arson, Aggravated Arson;
Trespass;
Theft;
Robbery;
Burglary;
Non Fatal Offences Against the Person.

I'll leave the rest to you all, I don't know how detailed the answer should be at your level.
Original post by xabsx
My law teacher said these were likely to come up on Section A:

Basic: Mens Rea (advised not to do it) or Attempts
Offence: Non-fatal or Theft
Defense: Intoxication as hasn't been on for 7 past exams (since 2011 Jan)
:biggrin:


Don't ignore the mens rea, even if you don't think it makes a great essay, you still would be required to apply some of its principles throughout the problem question, and even Section C ones.
btw. PM if anyone needs any relatively concise notes, I've spent ages typing them up and they seem like a nice way to revise since most of them are structured in such a way that resemble essay answers and include the key principles allowing you to answer section B and C questions.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by 0123456543210
Don't ignore the mens rea, even if you don't think it makes a great essay, you still would be required to apply some of its principles throughout the problem question, and even Section C ones.
btw. PM if anyone needs any relatively concise notes, I've spent ages typing them up and they seem like a nice way to revise since most of them are structured in such a way that resemble essay answers and include the key principles allowing you to answer section B and C questions.


Just to clear up I meant we were advised not to do the 50 mark essay! Not to revise it at all
Reply 8
Original post by Mimir
Are you serious?! It's a pretty key part of an offence! :confused:


Just to clear up I meant we were advised not to do the 50 mark essay! Not that we shouldn't revise it at all
Original post by xabsx
Just to clear up I meant we were advised not to do the 50 mark essay! Not to revise it at all


Ok, that makes sense. But, I always thought that MR is quite a nice essay to do since there is a lot to write about it e.g. development of the law, reform proposals and lots of opportunities to use cases. AR is obviously nicer, but I would pick MR over any defence :smile:.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by SinsNotTragedies
I actually do WJEC so I'm not familiar with the OCR specification. :tongue: I assume it might be resoundingly similar though... :biggrin:


I don't give a damn about WJEC or OCR. The questions I posted on this thread which you clearly have difficulty in answering as can be discerned by the fact that you disappeared the moment you realise the difficulty level, are actually from past year A-level law from the Cambridge International Exam (CIE) board.
https://www.facebook.com/cie.org.uk
http://www.cie.org.uk/
http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/about-us/our-exam-boards/cie/

Original post by Mimir
Some starters for 10 on these questions:

Spoiler


I'll leave the rest to you all, I don't know how detailed the answer should be at your level.


good job. I repped you. These questions are from the Cambridge International Exams for A-levels. It's one of the toughest boards out there and for law, we are required to answer questions similar to university standard.
Reply 11
Original post by Audrey18
I don't give a damn about WJEC or OCR [...]


good job. I repped you. These questions are from the Cambridge International Exams for A-levels. It's one of the toughest boards out there and for law, we are required to answer questions similar to university standard.


That is something I find hard to believe. There is a massive difference in content volume and even how you should write an essay.

People on TSR simply aim to be helpful, usually. Your first line of that post is inappropriate, regardless of how you feel.
Original post by Audrey18
I don't give a damn about WJEC or OCR. The questions I posted on this thread which you clearly have difficulty in answering as can be discerned by the fact that you disappeared the moment you realise the difficulty level, are actually from past year A-level law from the Cambridge International Exam (CIE) board.
https://www.facebook.com/cie.org.uk
http://www.cie.org.uk/
http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/about-us/our-exam-boards/cie/



good job. I repped you. These questions are from the Cambridge International Exams for A-levels. It's one of the toughest boards out there and for law, we are required to answer questions similar to university standard.


Sure, at a university level:biggrin:. Those problem questions include quite a lot of stuff, therefore all I can conclude is that in a short time of the exam you would only be required do a very basic analysis as opposed to the undergraduate level where I presume you would have to do a very thorough one.
Reply 13
Original post by 0123456543210
Sure, at a university level:biggrin:. Those problem questions include quite a lot of stuff, therefore all I can conclude is that in a short time of the exam you would only be required do a very basic analysis as opposed to the undergraduate level where I presume you would have to do a very thorough one.


Exactly. A thorough answer to a question on just one of those offences, if you are to also include defences, advice, attempt etc in addition to basics of AR, MR, dishonesty, causation, remoteness, intoxication yadda yadda yadda takes an hour.

The answers to these 'university level questions' from Cambridge must be rather superficial.
Original post by Mimir
Exactly. A thorough answer to a question on just one of those offences, if you are to also include defences, advice, attempt etc in addition to basics of AR, MR, dishonesty, causation, remoteness, intoxication yadda yadda yadda takes an hour.

The answers to these 'university level questions' from Cambridge must be rather superficial.


To add to the comedy you should click on Audrey's profile and see "about me" tab. I am sure that CIE students are so smart that they can cover 20 hours of work in a single exam question for which I presume only about 50 minutes are given.
Reply 15
Original post by 0123456543210
To add to the comedy you should click on Audrey's profile and see "about me" tab. I am sure that CIE students are so smart that they can cover 20 hours of work in a single exam question for which I presume only about 50 minutes are given.


Sounds so incredible I might wee with admiration :afraid:

EDIT: Just read it. Oh God.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Mimir
That is something I find hard to believe. There is a massive difference in content volume and even how you should write an essay.

People on TSR simply aim to be helpful, usually. Your first line of that post is inappropriate, regardless of how you feel.


Ladies and gents, this is is a classic case of ignorance at its best, courtesy of user Mimir. Cambridge International Exams (CIE) law papers are that difficult. Believe it.

Even you had difficulty answering the questions I posted on this thread. You took the easy way out by identifying the offences in the questions that I so kindly typed out word for word and posted. Even an imbecile who has never opened his criminal law textbook prior to a week before the exams can do what you did i.e. identifying the possible offences. LOL!

Original post by 0123456543210
Sure, at a university level:biggrin:. Those problem questions include quite a lot of stuff, therefore all I can conclude is that in a short time of the exam you would only be required do a very basic analysis as opposed to the undergraduate level where I presume you would have to do a very thorough one.


Original post by 0123456543210
To add to the comedy you should click on Audrey's profile and see "about me" tab. I am sure that CIE students are so smart that they can cover 20 hours of work in a single exam question for which I presume only about 50 minutes are given.


You know you're with easier exam boards. We all know you're with easier exam boards. It's really fine. You don't have to be defensive. But please don't ridicule or cast doubts on the Cambridge International Exam (CIE) law papers because you cannot get around the fact the difficulty level of the exam questions. We CIE law candidates have to choose two questions out of five and we're given 90 mins in total so that's 45 mins per question.

The questions I kindly provided you above, which I had to type out word for word, were from the CIE past year exams which have not been made available electronically. The least you could have done was to thank or credit me for typing it out, word for word.

But no. Instead you choose to harp about your exam board OCR and still cannot fathom that CIE students have to cram everything in, in terms of knowledge and full coverage of the syllabus, in order to be able to sit for the CIE law exams. All I can say is that you're ungrateful.

I'm not with OCR. I'm with Cambridge International Exams (CIE) Board. It's two different things. The CIE exams are designed in such a way that students cannot go into exam halls, sit for the exams and expect to do well if they have not covered the syllabus in its entirety. That would be committing hara-kiri.

Also, you clearly have a confidence issue as can be discerned from your replies to me thus far. Please please please understand this. There are always going to be people better than you, smarter than you, capable than you and so on. I'll give you two examples of students who sat for CIE papers who did amazingly well.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-A-levels.html
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2006/04/23/twin-achievers/

page 14
http://files.magdalenecambridge.com/pdfs/Publications/Magdalene%20Matters%20Autumn%202010.pdf

page 15
http://www.cie.org.uk/images/112980-cambridge-outlook-issue-04-february-2008.pdf

It is not our fault that you're with OCR, or if you have a lousy teacher or if you're from a lousy college. I understand that you may doubt yourself because clearly you know what your limitations and weaknesses are but please don't transfer the malice to us. It has nothing to do with us.

I don't know and I don't care about other exam boards. I'm with CIE and that's all I care about. And you neither had the courtesy to reply to my post as a form of acknowledgement when I've so kindly provided you with four question from past year CIE Law exams nor the courtesy to attempt to answer the questions.

All you did was harp on and on and on about OCR and cast doubt on us CIE students as to whether we can cover the entire syllabus? LOL!

For those who're interested, I've done all four exam questions and got them marked by a trainee lawyer who graduated from LSE and my teacher who graduated from KCL. Will be happy to email you my answer scripts with feedback from both the markers.

Sayonara :tongue:
Reply 17
This is an A-Level Law thread not debate club :biggrin:
Original post by xabsx
This is an A-Level Law thread not debate club :biggrin:


Nope, debates are based on arguments, this is an arrogance contest, and you can see who is winning.
Original post by Audrey18
I don't give a damn about WJEC or OCR. The questions I posted on this thread which you clearly have difficulty in answering as can be discerned by the fact that you disappeared the moment you realise the difficulty level, are actually from past year A-level law from the Cambridge International Exam (CIE) board.
https://www.facebook.com/cie.org.uk
http://www.cie.org.uk/
http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/about-us/our-exam-boards/cie/



good job. I repped you. These questions are from the Cambridge International Exams for A-levels. It's one of the toughest boards out there and for law, we are required to answer questions similar to university standard.


Lmao! Why are you so bitter? :teehee:

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