R. v. Gotts, (1992) 144 N.R. 367 (HL)

• Case Date: February 20, 1992
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (1992), 144 N.R. 367 (HL)

R. v. Gotts (1992), 144 N.R. 367 (HL)

MLB headnote and full text

Regina v. Gotts

(appellant)

Indexed As: R. v. Gotts

House of Lords

London, England

Lord Keith of Kinkel,

Lord Templeman, Lord Jauncey of Tullichettle,

Lord Lowry, and Lord Browne-Wilkinson

February 20, 1992.

Summary:

The accused was charged with attempting to murder his mother. His defence was duress. The trial judge ruled that the defence was not available. The accused appealed.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The accused appealed again.

The House of Lords, Lord Keith of Kinkel and Lord Lowry, dissenting, dismissed the appeal.

Criminal Law - Topic 202

Common law defences - Duress - The House of Lords held that the common law defence of duress was not available to an accused charged with attempted murder.

Criminal Law - Topic 1259

Attempted murder - Defences - [See Criminal Law - Topic 202 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. R., [1991] 3 W.L.R. 767 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 2].

R. v. Lynch, [1975] N.I. 35 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 15, 34].

Director of Public Prosecutions for North­ern Ireland v. Lynch, [1975] A.C. 653 (H.L.), refd to. [paras. 16, 31].

R. v. Abbot, [1977] A.C. 755 (J.C.P.C.), refd to. [paras. 17, 31, 62].

R. v. Howe, [1987] A.C. 417 (H.L.). refd to. [paras. 19, 31, 62].

Thomson v. H.M. Advocate, [1983] S.C.C.R. 368 (Scot.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Brown and Morley, [1968] S.A.S.R. 467, refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Hudson and Taylor, [1971] 2 Q.B. 202, refd to. [para. 34].

R. v. Hurley and Murray, [1967] V.R. 526, refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Stephenson, [1947] N.I. 110, refd to. [para. 55].

Statutes Noticed:

Criminal Justice Act 1925, sect. 47 [paras. 11-15, 60].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (2nd Ed.), vol. 4, pp. 29-30 [para. 7].

East's Pleas of the Crown (1803), generally [para. 46].

Hale, Pleas of the Crown (1736), p. 51 [para. 6].

Kenny, Outlines of Criminal Law (1929 13th Ed.), generally [paras. 10, 11, 54].

Stephen, Sir James Fitzjames, History of the Criminal Law of England (1883), pp. 105 [paras. 7, 54]; 106 [para. 8]; 107 [para. 9].

Counsel:

D.J. Farrer, Q.C., and C. Miskin, for the accused;

A. Arlidge, Q.C., and S. Spence, for the Crown.

This appeal was heard on December 3 and 4, 1991, before Lord Keith of Kinkel, Lord Templeman, Lord Jauncey of Tullichettle, Lord Lowry and Lord Browne-Wilkinson, of the House of Lords. The following decision of the court was delivered on February 20, 1992, including the following opinions:

Lord Keith of Kinkel, dissenting - see paragraphs 1 to 3;

Lord Templeman - see paragraph 4;

Lord Jauncey of Tullichettle - see para­graphs 5 to 24;

Lord Lowry, dissenting - see paragraphs 25 to 67;

Lord Browne-Wilkinson - see para­graphs 68 to 70.