ABSTRACT
Homicide involves killing someone. There are two crimes of homicide in English law:
Murder. Manslaughter.
The most important distinction between them is that a conviction for murder leads to a mandatory life sentence, while a conviction for manslaughter does not. Indeed, you could be convicted of manslaughter and be given an absolute discharge, meaning there is effectively no punishment at all. That would be very rare. By contrast if you are convicted for murder there is no alternative but for the judge to sentence you to a life sentence in prison. That will not normally mean all your life, but it will be a very substantial term. However much sympathy a judge may have for a murderer, there is no other sentence that can be imposed. Watching television would give you the impression that a huge
number of murders are committed every day, especially if you live in Midsomer! That is, in fact, an inaccurate picture. The numbers are really quite small. Nevertheless the offences are important, as they are the most serious crimes that can be committed. They also raise some important issues of legal principle.
