Criminal Law clearly sets out the key topics your students will need to understand, unpicking the relevant case and statute law, whilst discussing the issues and academic debates that inevitably arise from this contentious area of law. The authors also provide criticism of the current law as well as discussion around reform.

“I think that the book is pitched particularly well for those who are new to the study of criminal law. It also puts the law in a wider social and political context and this encourages students to think beyond the black letter law”

-         Louise Taylor, Nottingham Trent University

Criminal Law is your indispensable guide to this core component of your law degree. It clearly sets out the key topics you’ll need to understand, unpicking the relevant case and statute law, whilst discussing the issues and academic debates that inevitably arise from this contentious area of law. The authors also provide criticism of the current law as well as discussion around reform.

The book is geared towards helping you succeed in your studies and, as well as their trademark clarity of writing, the authors use a number of features to help you cement your understanding, including:

• Key case boxes which highlight the important cases you’ll need to remember;

• Topical issue boxes, which examine the law at work in notable examples from wider society;

• Figures and diagrams, which help you to visualise concepts and processes;

• Examination-style questions with detailed answer guidance which help you to revise and prepare for assessments.

Some key recent developments covered in this ninth edition include:

• The Supreme Court’s views on liability of gang members involved in a criminal enterprise (R v Gnango, 2011);

• The Court of Appeal’s first decision interpreting the new loss of control defence and in particular the relevance of sexual infidelity (R v Clinton, Evans and Parker, 2012);

• The criminalisation of mercy killing.

CATHERINE ELLIOTT (LLB, DEA) is a qualified barrister and Senior Lecturer in Law at City University, London. She has extensive experience of teaching and writing about law.

FRANCES QUINN is an award-winning journalist, with particular interest in and experience of the law.