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Manslaughter Reform

 

Amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill
Andrew Dismore MP has tabled two amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill currently going through parliament.

These amendments may come up for debate on the 2nd or 3rd May.

To read more about manslaughter, click on the subjects below:
Law of Manslaughter
Proposals to Reform the Law of Manslaughter
Investigation of Work-Related Deaths
 
NC11.
This amendment, set out below, would enact a new offence of Corporate Killing as proposed by the Law Commission. As drafted it would only apply to companies not ‘undertakings’ or ‘crown bodies’.

To move the following clause

(1) A corporation is guilty of corporate killing if:
(a) a management failure by the corporation or other undertaking is the cause or one of the causes of a person's death; and
(b) that failure constitutes conduct falling far below what can reasonably be expected of the corporation in the circumstances.
(2)

For the purposes of subsection (1) above
(a) there is a management failure by a corporation if the way in which its activities are managed or organised fails to ensure the health and safety of persons employed in or affected by those activities; and
(b) such a failure may be regarded as a cause of a person's death notwithstanding that the immediate cause is the act or omission of an individual.

(3) A corporation guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine
(4) No individual shall be convicted of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring an offence under this section but without prejudice to an individual being guilty of any other offence in respect of the death in question

NC12
This amendment would mean that a director would be found guilty of an offence of corporate killing, if the company is.

This is a much more contentious amendment - not proposed by the Law Commission or any other governmental or non-governmental body. It is in effect a strict liability offence: that is to say, a company director will be automatically found guilty of the offence if the company is found guilty - even if conduct of the director is not particularly blameworthy.

To move the following clause
(1) An officer of a corporation is guilty of corporate killing if
(a) a management failure by the corporation or other undertaking is the cause or one of the causes of a person's death; and
(b) that failure constitutes conduct falling far below what can reasonably be expected of the corporation in the circumstances.
(2)

For the purposes of subsection (1) above
(a) there is a management failure by a corporation if the way in which its activities are managed or organised fails to ensure the health and safety of persons employed in or affected by those activities; and
(b) such a failure may be regarded as a cause of a person's death notwithstanding that the immediate cause is the act or omission of an individual.

(3) A corporation guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to a fine or imprisonment or both
(4) No individual shall be convicted of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring an offence under this section but without prejudice to an individual being guilty of any other offence in respect of the death in question
(5) This section does not preclude an officer being guilty of murder or manslaughter

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Page last updated on June 9, 2003