Manslaughter is the committing of an unlawful act that has resulted in death. This can be voluntary, where the intention was to kill or cause serious harm, but a specific defence applies. Alternatively, this can be involuntary where there was no intention to kill or cause serious harm.
An example of an involuntary manslaughter would be an argument between two people which turns into a low-level scuffle. A push or punch has caused one of the individuals to fall to the floor hitting their head, and because of this, it has caused a bleed, subsequently leading to the death of the individual. There is no intention to kill or cause serious harm, but the unlawful act has led to the death of another.
What happens if I am charged with the offence of Manslaughter?
If you are charged with the offence of manslaughter, there are a number of defences appliable which can be raised in Court.
At Johnson Astills, we make it our job to establish if you have a positive defence to raise.
What are some examples of complete defences to Manslaughter?
- Self Defence
Self-defence or the defence of another is a common defence raised, which is the use of reasonable force to protect oneself, or others.
- Duress
If at the time of the alleged offence, you were acting under an immediate, well-founded fear of death or serious harm/injury from another, you may raise the defence of Duress.
- Mistake
You may have misinterpreted factual circumstances and behaved in a non-standard way. An example of this may be hearing someone screaming in an alleyway at night, you intervene and try to prevent what you perceived as an attack, and you unintentionally kill someone.
I’ve been accused of Manslaughter, what should I do?
Being accused of manslaughter can be life-changing.
The likelihood of a positive outcome is higher when working with experienced legal representatives who will work hard to achieve the best outcome for you.
Why choose Johnson Astills for advice?
If you, or a family member are accused of serious offences such as manslaughter, you should always seek legal advice.
Johnson Astills offer expert legal advice to those that find themselves accused of serious offences including manslaughter. We can represent from the police station through to the Crown Court, with our in-house advocates, Helen Johnson and Michelle Harding.
We offer fixed fee appointments and legal aid options are available.
How can Johnson Astills help?
It is vital to seek legal advice should you find yourself accused of a criminal offence. At Johnson Astills, we specialise in criminal defence, including advice and representation at the police station. We have experience in liaising with the police and submitting pre-charge engagement representations, which have resulted in no further action being taken against our clients.
At Johnson Astills, we offer fixed fee initial consultations, at which we will discuss your matter in detail and provide preliminary advice and guidance. For further information, or to arrange a fixed fee consultation, please call our Leicester office on 0116 255 4855 or our Loughborough office on 01509 610 312.
