Assignment Cover Sheet ∗

Subject (including course code): …………………………………………………........

Name of course leader / tutor: ………………………………………………………..

Student name: ……………………………………………………………………........

SID: ……………………….….. Pigeon Hole No.: ………………………

Semester (please tick): A † B † Summer † 2010-11

Enrolment status (please tick): † Full-time † Part-time

Word count: ……………

Declaration

I declare that:

1) this coursework is my own work;

2) the work of all others has been duly acknowledged in footnotes and also placed within
quotation marks in case of direct quotes;

3) I have read and understood the City University of Hong Kong’s Policy on Academic
Honesty (including on Plagiarism) [available at:
http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/arro/content.asp?cid=73]; and

4) I understand that the failure to comply with this Policy can lead to disciplinary action
under the Code of Student Conduct [available at:
http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/arro/content.asp?cid=202].

Signature: Date:

∗
All LLB students must fill-in and submit to the School of Law this sheet with a hard copy of their
assignments in all courses.

1
 LW3606A Criminal Law I – Coursework Assignment, Sem A 2010/11

Distributed: By E-mail on 20th September 2010

Due date: 1st November 2010 (To be handed in to the General Office of the School of
Law by 5.00 p.m. that day)

Please put your student’s pigeon hole No. on the cover sheet
Any coursework submitted after the due date will not be accepted unless there is a good
reason for late submission. You are advised to deliver your coursework yourself so that you
can be sure that it was delivered on time.

Instructions:

1) Answers may be typed or hand-written. Typed answers are preferred. If handwritten,

ensure legibility
2) Your answer must be your own work.
3) If you refer to texts or quote extracts from cases, you must identify your source.
4) You may use abbreviations if you wish e.g. 'HO’ for the Homicide Ordinance, ‘CO’
for the Crimes Ordinance etc.
5) There is a maximum limit of 1,500 words. Your answer must specify the number of
words. Marks may be lost if the word limit is exceeded.
6) Your answer may contain less than 1,500 words but, in your own interest, you must
fully address the issues.
7) You may use footnotes or end notes e.g. for citing cases or other authorities. Provided
your footnotes are genuine footnotes and not supplementary paragraphs of your
answer they will not count towards the 1,500 word limit. If however your footnotes
become supplemental paragraphs of your answer they will be counted towards the
word limit and a penalty may be incurred.
8) Leave sufficient margins for comments to be written on your coursework.
9) You must keep a copy of your coursework in case the original is mislaid.
10) Your coursework will be marked, graded and returned to you. Only grades (not
arithmetical marks) will be shown on the returned coursework.
11) You must retain your marked coursework after it is returned to you. You can be called
upon to produce that marked coursework at any time should this be considered
necessary.
12) This coursework counts for 30% of the assessment on this course.
Question
1) What is meant by ‘causation’ in Criminal Law and explain how the position at
Common Law has been modified by statute.

2) Can a person who does not desire or wish a consequence to occur as a result of his
voluntary act be said to have intended it?

Support your answers with reasons and authorities where appropriate.

2
Expectations

Students will be expected to show an appreciation of substantive criminal law and how it
operates in practice and to critically discuss possible developments and/or deficiencies in the
topic area.

Concentration must be upon the critical discussion and not on simply copying extracts for
judgements and/or textbooks. You may of course set out extracts from judgments as a basis
for discussion and the development of your thoughts but an essay which is simply a
composite of extracts from judgments and/or text books will not attract good marks because
the question emphasises discussions and constructive criticism.

There is a word limit. That is intended to get you to streamline your answers. One of the
objectives of your programme of study is the enhancement of general transferable skills.
These skills include the ability to research, to analyse, to prioritise and to communicate ideas
and advice both orally and in writing. In real life there is a premium upon taking things step
by step and upon short and accurate advice communicated in a way that the recipient will best
understand. Marks will therefore be gained for clarity and accuracy of expression and for
practicality as well as for demonstrated understanding of the relevant principles of Criminal
Law.

END