Notes

Further to the Activity 1 on Homicide relating to Mrs Dawson death read the following information provided and explain the following:
Provide a report on the Scenario to include :
(a) explanation of the relevant fatal offences, using professional language and legal terminology relating to Homicide
(b) Application of relevant case law and statutes
(c) Using concepts like: Actus Reus, Mens Rea, Causation- Legal-factual, definition of Murder, Break in Causation? Defences?
(d) analysis of any potential defences applicable.
(e) evaluation of whether any defences will be successful
Use case law and Statute Law in support of your answer!
READ ALL THE INFORMATION PROVIDED>
You have been given a two-week placement at a large, local solicitors' firm called Summers and McNeil and you will work in the department dealing with criminal case work. You are working with your colleagues on a case to represent Mr Dawson who is charged with murder and have been asked to prepare a report on the facts for your line manager - the criminal law partner firm.
The facts of the case are as follows:
1 The body of 43-year-old Mrs Susan Dawson was found at 54 Brentwood Gardens after a phone call from a concerned neighbour. Mrs Dawson had been stabbed several times and a knife was retrieved from the crime scene, thought to be the weapon used in the stabbing.
2 Witness statements were taken from the neighbours, stating that they had heard shouting and screaming, as if a fight was taking place. The neighbours then saw two men running away from the house, one man was identified as Mr Dawson. The other man could not be named, but had been seen regularly visiting the house over the last six months when Mr Dawson was out at work.
3 Police were called to an incident where a man matching Mr Dawson's description was dissuaded from jumping from a bridge and police arrested and detained him.
4 Investigations have matched DNA from the knife to Mr Dawson
5 The statements taken suggested that Mr and Mrs Dawson's marriage was in crisis. Mrs Dawson has been seeing a younger man called Shakib Ahmed for several months.
6 Mr Dawson had found out about the affair and had returned home early from work to find Mr Ahmed and Mrs Dawson together.
The above details have now to be addressed using the information and you have now have to draft a legal submission to your line manager as to the outcome of criminal court proceedings that is likely to happen and the consequences of any conviction in a Crown court.