How Did Rab Suffer A Serious Injury?

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I ADVICE TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS ABOUT JON’S CRIMINAL LIABILITY FOR ANY OFFENCES COMMITTED AGAINST RAB A Intentionally Causing Serious Injury 1 Serious Injury The first element of s.16 is the actus reus. The question is did Rab suffer a serious injury. By definition in the Crime Act 1958: an injury includes unconsciousness, hysteria, pain and any substantial impairment of bodily function. Rab was unconscious for half an hour and was presumably in pain from being hit in the head. This substantiates the conclusion that he did suffer an injury, however, the question is whether he suffered a serious injury. Subsection 15 in the Act states that a serious injury is an injury (or an accumulation of injuries) that ‘endanger life’ or is ‘substantial and protracted’ . There is no formal test to distinguish between an injury and a serious injury and the decision is left wholly to the jury. Rab’s unconsciousness qualifies as an injury under s15 definition but with the addition …show more content…

McHugh J went further to say identify that there is no on single test for causation in homicide. The element of causation within the framework of this case will be a significant challenge to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. The DPP should begin by looking at the ‘but for’ test and a major problem arises since the victim was already running through the streets, would the harm not have occurred if not for the Fergus’s wrongdoing? The defence can argue that yes the harm could have happened without Fergus’s actions. Sal was already in harms way by running through a busy metropolitan area and not adhering to the rules of the road. The DPP can state though the victim was already running, at the time she was hit by the taxi, she was trying to escape the crowd that had formed from Fergus’s actions. Mason CJ

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