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Report Stage Proceedings: 23 March 2009                  

142

 

Coroners and Justice Bill, continued

 
 

(i)    

constituted circumstances of an extremely grave character, and

 

(ii)    

caused D to have an objectively justifiable sense of being

 

seriously wronged.

 

(2)    

In subsection (1)(c) the reference to “the circumstances of D” is a reference to all

 

of D’s circumstances other than those whose only relevance to D’s conduct is that

 

they bear on D’s general capacity for tolerance or self-restraint.

 

(3)    

A sense of being seriously wronged by a thing done or said is not justifiable if D

 

incited the thing to be done or said for the purpose of providing an excuse to use

 

violence.

 

(4)    

Subsection (1) does not apply if, in doing or being a party to the killing, D acted

 

out of a desire—

 

(a)    

for revenge, or

 

(b)    

to uphold D’s, or D’s family’s, honour, or

 

(c)    

to punish V for V’s sexual infidelity

 

(5)    

On a charge of murder, if sufficient evidence is adduced to raise an issue with

 

respect to the defence under subsection (1), the jury must assume that the defence

 

is satisfied unless the prosecution proves beyond reasonable doubt that it is not.

 

(6)    

For the purposes of subsection (5), sufficient evidence is adduced to raise an issue

 

with respect to the defence if evidence is adduced on which, in the opinion of the

 

trial judge, a jury, properly directed, could reasonably conclude that the defence

 

might apply.

 

(7)    

A person who, but for this section, would be liable to be convicted of murder is

 

liable instead to be convicted of manslaughter.

 

(8)    

The fact that one party to a killing is by virtue of this section not liable to be

 

convicted of murder does not affect the question of whether the killing amounted

 

to murder in the case of any other party to it.’.

 


 

Partial defence to murder: fear of serious violence

 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  NC10

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

Where a person (“D”) kills or is party to the killing of another (“V”), D is not to

 

be convicted of murder if—

 

(a)    

D’s acts or omissions in doing or being a party to the killing resulted from

 

D’s fear of serious violence from V against D or another identified

 

person, and

 

(b)    

a person of D’s age and sex, with a normal degree of self-restraint and in

 

the circumstances of D, might have reacted in the same or in a similar

 

way to D.

 

(2)    

In subsection (1)(b) the reference to “the circumstances of D” is a reference to all

 

of D’s circumstances other than those whose only relevance to D’s conduct is that

 

they bear on D’s general capacity for self-restraint,

 

(3)    

D’s fear of serious violence is to be disregarded to the extent that it was caused

 

by a thing which D incited to be done or said for the purposes of providing an

 

excuse to use violence.


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 23 March 2009                  

143

 

Coroners and Justice Bill, continued

 
 

(4)    

On a charge of murder, if sufficient evidence is adduced to raise an issue with

 

respect to the defence under subsection (1), the jury must assume that the defence

 

is satisfied unless the prosecution proves beyond reasonable doubt that it is not.

 

(5)    

For the purposes of subsection (4), sufficient evidence is adduced to raise an issue

 

with respect to the defence if evidence is adduced on which, in the opinion of the

 

trial judge, a jury, properly directed, could reasonably conclude that the defence

 

might apply.

 

(6)    

Subsections (4) and (5) are not to be taken as supplanting or undermining or

 

otherwise affecting any defence of self-defence that might fail to be considered

 

in the case.

 

(7)    

A person who, but for this section, would be liable to be convicted of murder is

 

liable instead to be convicted of manslaughter.

 

(8)    

The fact that one party to a killing is by virtue of this section not liable to be

 

convicted of murder does not affect the question of whether the killing amounted

 

to murder in the case of any other party to it.’.

 


 

Reform of law of murder

 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  NC17

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

A defendant (“D”) who kills or is party to the killing of another is to be regarded

 

as not guilty of murder, but liable instead to be convicted of manslaughter, if D

 

was unaware that his conduct involved a serious risk that another person might

 

die as a result of that conduct.

 

(2)    

A defendant (“D”) who kills or is party to the killing of another is to be regarded

 

as guilty of murder where D intended to cause serious injury to another person or

 

persons and was aware that there was a serious risk that another person might die

 

as a result of D’s conduct.’.

 


 

Partial defence to murder: excessive force in self-defence

 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  NC18

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

Where a person (“D”) kills or is party to the killing of another (“V”), and a

 

defence of self-defence, whether at common law or under section 3(1) of the

 

Criminal Law Act 1967 (c. 58) or section 3(1) of the Criminal Law (Northern

 

Ireland) Act 1967 (c. 18 (N.I.)), falls to be considered, D is not to be convicted of

 

murder if the defence of self-defence fails solely because the force D employed

 

was disproportionate.

 

(2)    

A person who, but for this section, would be liable to be convicted of murder is

 

liable instead to be convicted of manslaughter.


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 23 March 2009                  

144

 

Coroners and Justice Bill, continued

 
 

(3)    

The fact that one party to a killing is by virtue of this section not liable to be

 

convicted of murder does not affect the question of whether the killing amounted

 

to murder in the case of any other party to it.’.

 


 

Images of children: review of provisions

 

Jenny Willott

 

David Howarth

 

Not selected  NC29

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Secretary of State must, within 2 years of the coming into force of sections

 

49 to 56, undertake a comprehensive policy review of the impact of those

 

provisions.

 

(2)    

The matters dealt with in the review must include—

 

(a)    

improvements in child protection,

 

(b)    

effect on freedom of speech and freedom of expression,

 

(c)    

whether they are functioning as intended, and

 

(d)    

whether there have been unintended consequences.’.

 


 

Abolition of offence of criminal libel

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Mr Denis MacShane

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews

 

Not called  NC40

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The offence of criminal libel under the common law of England and Wales is

 

abolished.

 

(2)    

In the Libel Act 1843 (6 & 7 Vict. c. 96) sections 4 (publications of libel known

 

to be false), 5 (publication of libel) and 6 (plea of truth of matters charged or of

 

not guilty) are omitted.

 

(3)    

In the Newspaper Libel and Registration Act 1881 (44 & 45 Vict. c. 60) section

 

4 (inquiry by court of summary jurisdiction as to libel being for public benefit or

 

being true) is omitted.

 

(4)    

In the Law of Libel Amendment Act 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c. 64) section 8 (order

 

of judge required for prosecution of newspaper proprietor, etc) is omitted.’.

 



 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 23 March 2009                  

145

 

Coroners and Justice Bill, continued

 
 

Acts not capable of encouraging or assisting suicide (exception for travel abroad)

 

Ms Patricia Hewitt

 

Mr Crispin Blunt

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Mr Kevin Barron

 

Richard Ottaway

 

Mr James Plaskitt

 

Chris McCafferty

 

Paul Flynn

 

Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews

 

Paul Holmes

 

Roger Berry

 

Not called  NC42

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Suicide Act 1961 (c. 60) is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

After section 2 insert—

 

“2ZA  

Acts not capable of encouraging or assisting

 

An act by D is not to be treated as capable of encouraging or assisting the

 

suicide or attempted suicide of another person (“T”) if the act is done

 

solely or principally for the purpose of enabling or assisting T to travel to

 

a country or territory in which assisted dying is lawful.”’.

 


 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  32

 

Page  24,  line  4  [Clause  39],  after ‘functioning’, insert ‘or developmental

 

immaturity’.

 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  33

 

Page  24  [Clause  39],  leave out line 5.

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Henry Bellingham

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Mr David Burrowes

 

Jeremy Wright

 

Not called  38

 

Page  24,  line  9  [Clause  39],  at end insert—

 

‘(1ZA)    

A person (“D”) who kills or is party to the killing of another is not to be convicted

 

of murder if D was under the age of eighteen and his developmental immaturity—

 

(a)    

substantially impaired D’s ability to do one or more of the things

 

mentioned in subsection (1A), and

 

(b)    

provides an explanation for D’s acts and omissions in doing or being a

 

party to the killing.’.


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 23 March 2009                  

146

 

Coroners and Justice Bill, continued

 
 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  34

 

Page  24  [Clause  39],  leave out lines 14 to 16.

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Henry Bellingham

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Mr David Burrowes

 

Jeremy Wright

 

Not called  39

 

Page  24,  line  14  [Clause  39],  after ‘(1)(c)’, insert ‘, and subsection (1ZA)(b)’.

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Henry Bellingham

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Mr David Burrowes

 

Jeremy Wright

 

Not called  40

 

Page  24,  line  15  [Clause  39],  after ‘functioning’, insert ‘or D’s developmental

 

immaturity’.

 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  35

 

Page  24,  line  26  [Clause  40],  after ‘functioning’, insert ‘or developmental

 

immaturity’.

 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  36

 

Page  24  [Clause  40],  leave out line 27.

 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  37

 

Page  24  [Clause  40],  leave out lines 36 to 38.

 


 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  14

 

Page  25,  line  2,  leave out Clause 41.

 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  15

 

Page  25,  line  31,  leave out Clause 42.


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 23 March 2009                  

147

 

Coroners and Justice Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Not called  53

 

Page  25,  line  35  [Clause  42],  leave out ‘identified’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Not called  54

 

Page  25,  line  38  [Clause  42],  leave out ‘extremely’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Not called  55

 

Page  25,  line  39  [Clause  42],  leave out ‘justifiable’.

 


 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Henry Bellingham

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Mr David Burrowes

 

Jeremy Wright

 

Not called  41

 

Page  26,  line  7  [Clause  42],  leave out paragraph (c).

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Henry Bellingham

 

Mrs Eleanor Laing

 

Mr David Burrowes

 

Jeremy Wright

 

Not called  42

 

Page  26,  line  8  [Clause  42],  after ‘disregarded’, insert ‘unless the fact that the thing

 

done or said which constituted sexual infidelity is relevant to other things done or said (or

 

both) which do not constitute sexual infidelity but which are put forward as qualifying

 

under subsection (4) of this section.’.

 

David Howarth

 

Not called  18

 

Page  26  [Clause  43],  leave out line 13 and insert ‘[Partial defence to murder:

 

justifiable anger] and [Partial defence to murder: fear of serious violence]’.

 


 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Not selected  56

 

Page  29,  line  7  [Clause  49],  leave out ‘be in possession of’ and insert ‘create (other


 
 

Report Stage Proceedings: 23 March 2009                  

148

 

Coroners and Justice Bill, continued

 
 

than by downloading an image created by another) or to communicate to another’.

 


 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Mr Richard Shepherd

 

Not selected  57

 

Page  31,  line  22  [Clause  51],  after ‘not’, insert ‘knowingly’.

 


 

Sir Paul Beresford

 

Mr Dominic Grieve

 

Not selected  157

 

Page  32,  line  15  [Clause  53],  leave out ‘3 years’ and insert ‘5 years for possession

 

or 10 years for making and distributing’.

 


 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  26

 

Page  33  [Clause  57],  leave out lines 30 and 31.

 


 

David Howarth

 

Jenny Willott

 

Not called  27

 

Page  34  [Clause  57],  leave out lines 3 and 4.


 
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