Led by Professor David Ormerod and David Perry QC, our team of authors has been hand-picked to ensure that you can trust our unique combination of authority and practicality. With a simultaneous supplement containing essential materials, you can rely on Blackstone’s Criminal Practice to be your constant companion through every courtroom appearance.

This new edition has been meticulously revised to provide extensive coverage of all new legislation, case law, and Practice Directions. With supplements, free Quarterly Updates, and monthly web updates, you can trust Blackstone’s Criminal Practice to provide reassurance on all the latest developments in criminal law and procedure.

PART A: CRIMINAL LAWA1: Actus reus: the external elements of an offenceA2: Mens ReaA3: General defencesA4: Parties to offencesA5: Inchoate offencesA6: Corporate LiabilityA7: Human rightsA8: Territorial and extra-territorial jurisdictionA9: European Union Law
PART B: OFFENCESB1: Homicide and related offencesB2: Non-fatal offences against the personB3: Sexual offencesB4: Theft, handling stolen goods and related offencesB5: Fraud and blackmailB6: Falsification, forgery and counterfeitingB7: Company, commercial and insolvency offencesB8: Damage to propertyB9: Offences affecting securityB10: Terrorism, piracy and hijackingB11: Offences affecting public orderB12: Offences relating to weaponsB13: Offences affecting enjoyment of premisesB14: Offences against the administration of justiceB15: Bribery and Misconduct in Public OfficeB16: Revenue customs and social security offencesB17: Offences involving misuse of computersB18: Offences involving writing, speech or publicationB19: Offences related to drugsB20: Offences relating to dangerous dogs and animal welfareB21: Offences relating to money laundering and the proceeds of criminal conductB22: Immigration offences
PART C: ROAD TRAFFIC OFFENCESC1: Definitions and basic principles in road traffic casesC2: Procedure and evidence in road traffic casesC3: Offences relating to driving triable on indictmentC4: Offences relating to documents triable on indictmentC5: Drink-driving offencesC6: Summary traffic offencesC7: SentencingC8: Schedules 2 and 3 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988
PART D: PROCEDURED1: Powers of investigationD2: The decision to prosecute and diversionD3: Courts, parties and abuse of processD4: Criminal Procedure Rules and case managementD5: Preliminary procedures in magistrates’ courtsD6: Classification of offences and allocation (determining mode of trial)D7: BailD8: Assets recoveryD9: DisclosureD10: Sending cases from the magistrates’ court to the Crown CourtD11: The indictmentD12: Arraignment and pleasD13: JuriesD14: Special measures and anonymity ordersD15: Trial on indictment: general matters and pre-trial procedureD16: Trial on indictment: the prosecution caseD17: Trial on indictment: the defence caseD18: Trial on indictment: procedure between close of defence evidence and retirement of juryD19: Trial on indictment: procedure relating to retirement of jury and verdictD20: Trial on indictment: sentencing procedureD21: Summary trial: general and preliminary mattersD22: Summary trial: the course of the trialD23: Sentencing in the magistrates’ courtD24: Trial of juvenilesD25: Civil behaviour orders: ASBOs, Closure Orders, SCPOs, and VOOsD26: Appeal to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) following trial on indictmentD27: Procedure on appeal to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)D28: Reference to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) following trial on indictmentD29: Challenging decisions of magistrates’ courts and of the Crown Court in its appellate capacityD30: Appeals to the Supreme Court and the role of the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human RightsD31: ExtraditionD32: Public fundingD33: Costs
ART E: SENTENCINGE1: Sentencing: general provisionsE2: Custodial sentences: general provisionsE3: Mandatory life sentencesE4: Dangerous offendersE5: Prescribed custodial sentencesE6: Suspended sentencesE7: Custodial sentences: detention and custody of offenders under 21E8: Community ordersE9: Youth rehabilitation ordersE10: Referral ordersE11: Reparation ordersE12: Absolute and conditional dischargesE13: Binding overE14: Orders against parentsE15: FinesE16: Compensation ordersE17: Restitution ordersE18: Deprivation and forfeiture ordersE19: Confiscation ordersE20: Recommendation for deportationE21: Exclusions and disqualificationsE22: Mentally disordered offendersE23: Notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003E24: Rehabilitation of offenders
PART F: EVIDENCE F1: General principles of evidence in criminal cases F2: The discretion to exclude evidence; evidence unlawfully, improperly or unfairly obtained F3: Burden and standard of proof and presumptions F4: Competence and compellability of witnesses and oaths and affirmations F5: Corroboration and Care Warnings F6: Examination-in-chief F7: Cross-examination and re-examination F8: Documentary evidence and real evidence F9: Public policy F10: Privilege F11: Opinion evidence F12: Admissibility of previous verdicts F13: Character evidence: evidence of bad character of accused F14: Character evidence: admissibility of evidence of accused’s good character F15: Character evidence: evidence of bad character of persons other than the accused F16: The rule against hearsay: general principles F17: Exceptions to the rule against hearsay (excluding confessions) F18: The rule against hearsay: confessions F19: Evidence of identification F20: Inferences from silence and the non-production of evidence
APPENDICES Appendix 1 Codes of Practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Appendix 2 Attorney-General’s GuidelinesAppendix 3 The Code for Crown ProsecutorsAppendix 4 Disclosure
(SIMULTANEOUS) SUPPLEMENT 1 Criminal Procedure Rules 2016 and Criminal Practice Directions Sentencing Guidelines