Department of Laws

Murder and Manslaughter Homework

Peter and Sandra have been married for several years and have two young children. In the past few years they have had frequent quarrels, during the course of which Peter has often hit Sandra. She has become very depressed and has been placed on medication by her doctor after telling the doctor how she feels 'trapped' in the relationship.

One evening, Peter returns home from the pub rather drunk. They begin an argument and Peter tells Sandra that she has always been a hopeless wife and an inadequate mother. Sandra begins to cry. Peter slaps her face and tells her to pull herself together. Enraged, Sandra grabs a marble statuette from the mantle shelf next to her and smashes it over Peter's head, killing him instantly.

Advise Sandra, who is charged with the murder of Peter.

Would it make any difference to your advice if Sandra had waited until Peter had fallen asleep in his chair and then killed him with the statuette?

(OCR 2000)