Case Study

The defendant mounted a campaign of hate against an ex-work colleague over a period of 20 months. He sent over 800 threatening letters, would follow her home, wrote offensive word on her front door, drove past her house, stole items from her washing line. As a result, she suffered clinical depression.

The defendant peered through the window of a young woman's home late at night. He had entered the garden and went up to the window and peered through a gap in the curtain. The woman saw him and screamed but he did not move but kept staring she phoned the police.

Discuss in groups whether an assault in each situation is a tort or a crime? Think of possible charges and defenses.

1. Discuss these questions.

1 What types of tort are commonly recognized by lawyers?

2 What is the main difference between a tort and a crime?

2. Study the photos on the opposite page. Decide the type of wrong being committed in each picture. Use words from box a.

3. Study the words in box a.

Battery burglary Deception defamation False imprisonment fraud Homicide libel negligence slander theft trespass

4.Put the words into two groups. Explain your choice.

5. Complete each sentence with a word from box a. Change the form if necessary (e.g., change a noun into an adjective).

1.The government minister stated that there was no truth in the article and threatened to sue the newspaper for making a_________ or defamatory statement.

2.The employees claimed that the owners of the factory were__________ because they failed to ensure their safety.

3.If people___________ on your property you have the right to use reasonable force to evict

4 The definition of ____________ is the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with the intention permanently to deprive.

5.If you repeat that blatant lie in public again I will have no alternative but to sue you for___________

6. Murder is the most serious form of________________________

7. The intentional striking of someone that results in harm is known as______________________