Bond University DOCTORAL THESIS Critical analysis of the law surrounding "one punch" killings Burgess, Craig Award date: 2016 Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal. CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE LAW SURROUNDING ‘ONE PUNCH’ KILLINGS AUGUST 1, 2016 CRAIG NEILSON BURGESS Abstract This thesis investigates the modern day tragedy of needless loss of life through so-called ‘one punch’ killings. Research has identified more than 90 deaths attributed to so-called ‘one punch’ assaults in Australia between 2000 and 2012. This thesis takes a critical examination of recent legislative moves in Australia and in some overseas jurisdictions that tighten the liability of offenders and the trend of concentrating on the consequences of the crime rather than looking towards the criminality of the offender. It also examines the efficacy of introducing new offences that abolish the test of foresight regarding the outcome of a fatal assault, in order to deal with the problem of mainly alcohol-fuelled violence. The thesis then considers whether there is a justifiable reason to amend the law and whether or not the range of existing offences which already carry high maxima, more fairly and justly labels the crime for the benefit of the offender, the victim and the community. While acknowledging the problem of random fatal violence needs to be addressed, the thesis argues penal populism such as tightening criminal liability and imposing longer sentences is not the answer. The preferred approach for this complex and multi-factorial problem is to concentrate on crime prevention through educational programs alerting young people to the dangers of personal violence as well as restricting alcohol trading hours in known trouble spots. - i - - ii - Declaration “This thesis is submitted to Bond University in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. This thesis represents my own original work towards this research degree and contains no material which has been previously submitted for a degree or diploma at this University or any other institution, except where due acknowledgement is made”. Signed: ………………………………… Date: …../…../2016 - iii - - iv - Acknowledgements I thank Bond University Faculty of Law for a generous Dean’s Scholarship throughout my Candidature. Special thanks are due to my thesis supervisors, Professor Geraldine Mackenzie and the late Professor Ken Levy, who guided me with their infinite expertise and patience throughout my research journey. I also acknowledge the support of Professors Eric Colvin & Michael Weir who advised and supported me during the early stages of my thesis. Thanks are also due to the professional and amenable administrative research staff at Bond Law School especially, Emma Petherick, Kim Weinert, Catherine Pini, Tonya Roberts as well as Shannon Murdoch. I am also indebted to my treasured colleague Dr Des Taylor for his efforts in acting as a sounding board and as a support in times of doubt. I wish also to pay tribute to my dear, recently departed parents, Bruce & Miriam, who inspired me with their unconditional love and encouragement. Finally, my long suffering family for standing by me during what seemed to them a never-ending quest which, at more times than I care to remember, deprived them of quality time with their husband and father. In particular, I wish to acknowledge my wife Anne not only for her love and support but her secretarial skills in proofing and formatting my numerous drafts. - v - - vi - TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CASES ....................................................................................................... xiii TABLE OF STATUTES ............................................................................................... xix 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 ‘One-Punch’ killings: A modern day tragedy .................................................... 1 1.2 The problems for criminal law with alcohol fuelled violence ........................... 4 1.3 Tightening the liability of ‘one punch’ killers ................................................... 4 1.4 Fair Labelling ..................................................................................................... 6 1.5 Correspondence Principle .................................................................................. 8 1.6 Alternative charges .......................................................................................... 10 1.7 Community expectations ................................................................................. 11 1.8 Chapter Outlines .............................................................................................. 13 Chapter 2– Unintentional and unforeseen acts ........................................ 14 Chapter 3 – Justification/Excuse .............................................................. 14 Chapter 4– Luck & Fair Labelling ........................................................... 14 Chapter 5 – Community Expectations ...................................................... 14 Chapter 6 – Foreseeability, causation & consequences .......................... 15 Chapter 7 – Alternative Offences ............................................................. 15 Chapter 8 – A Normative Approach to unforeseeable events that result in death 15 Chapter 9 – Conclusion ............................................................................ 16 2 UNINTENTIONAL AND UNFORESEEN ACTS ................................................ 17 2.1 Criminal Culpability ........................................................................................ 17 2.2 Unforeseen events ............................................................................................ 22 2.3 History of s 23 in the Queensland Criminal Code 1899 .................................. 26 2.4 Commentary on changes to s 23 Queensland Criminal Code.......................... 27 Comparison with United Kingdom and other jurisdictions ..................... 29 2.5 Meaning of ‘act’ and ‘event’............................................................................ 30 2.6 Taking your victim as you find them ............................................................... 35 ‘Accident’ cases in disarray ..................................................................... 36 2.7 Unforeseen events in other jurisdictions .......................................................... 39 2.8 Manslaughter under Australian Common Law ................................................ 40 2.9 Manslaughter by criminal negligence .............................................................. 41 2.10 Manslaughter by an unlawful and dangerous act ......................................... 42 2.11 Battery manslaughter.................................................................................... 46 - vii - 2.12 Is manslaughter the appropriate charge? ...................................................... 50 2.13 The lack of foreseeability excuse in practice ............................................... 52 2.14 Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General audit on Defences to Homicide: Accident and Provocation ..................................................................... 53 Use of ‘accident’ in murder trials in Queensland .................................... 54 Use of ‘accident’ in Queensland manslaughter trials .............................. 54 2.15 The ‘One-Punch’ Killer in Other Jurisdictions ............................................ 55 Canada ..................................................................................................... 55 Germany ................................................................................................... 57 a) Differences in approach between German & English criminal law ........................ 58 b) Law Commissions consider German approach ....................................................... 59 Commonwealth of Australia ..................................................................... 60 2.16 Alternative charges to manslaughter ............................................................ 62 2.17 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 64 3 JUSTIFICATION/EXCUSE .................................................................................. 67 3.1 Introduction to the theory of excuse in criminal law ....................................... 67 3.2 The Defence of Insanity ................................................................................... 68 3.3 Utilitarian theories ........................................................................................... 72 3.4 Choice theory ................................................................................................... 73 3.5 Character theory ..............................................................................................