附件一:英文文献INTRODUCTIONOffencesofstrictliabilityarethosecrimeswhichdonotrequiremensreawithregardtoatleastoneormoreelementsoftheactusreus.Thedefendantneednothaveintendedorknownaboutthatcircumstanceorconsequence.Liabilityissaidtobestrictwithregardtothatelement.Foragoodexamplesee:RvPrince[1875]:Thedefendantranoffwithanunder-agegirl.Hewaschargedwithanoffenceoftakingagirlundertheageof16outofthepossessionofherparentscontrarytos55oftheOffencesAgainstthePersonAct1861.Thedefendantknewthatthegirlwasinthecustodyherfatherbuthebelievedonreasonablegroundsthatthegirlwasaged18.Itwasheldthatknowledgethatthegirlwasundertheageof16wasnotrequiredinordertoestablishtheoffence.Itwassufficienttoshowthatthedefendantintendedtotakethegirloutofthepossessionofherfather.Itisonlyinextremeandrarecaseswherenomensreaisrequiredforliability,therebymakingtheparticularoffenceabsolute.GENERALPRINCIPLESThevastmajorityofstrictliabilitycrimesarestatutoryoffences.However,statutesdonotstateexplicitlythataparticularoffenceisoneofstrictliability.Whereastatuteusestermssuchasknowinglyorrecklesslythentheoffencebeingcreatedisonethatrequiresmensrea.Alternatively,itmaymakeitclearthatanoffenceofstrictliabilityisbeingcreated.Inmanycasesitwillbeamatterforthecourtstointerpretthestatuteanddecidewhethermensreaisrequiredornot.Whatfactorsaretakenintoaccountbythecourtswhenassessingwhetherornotanoffencefallsintothecategoryofstrictliabilityoffences?THEMODERNCRITERIAInGammon(HongKong)LtdvAttorney-GeneralforHongKong[1984],thePrivyCouncilconsideredthescopeandroleofstrictliabilityoffencesinthemoderncriminallawandtheireffectuponthepresumptionofmensrea.LordScarmanlaiddownthecriteriauponwhichacourtshoulddecidewhetherornotitisappropriatetoimposestrictliability:IntheirLordships'opinion,thelaw…maybestatedinthefollowingpropositions…:(1)thereisapresumptionoflawthatmensreaisrequiredbeforeapersoncanbeheldguiltyofacriminaloffence;(2)thepresumptionisparticularlystrongwheretheoffenceistrulycriminalincharacter;(3)thepresumptionappliestostatutoryoffences,andcanbedisplacedonlyifthisisclearlyorbynecessaryimplicationtheeffectofthestatute;(4)theonlysituationinwhichthepresumptioncanbedisplacediswherethestatuteisconcernedwithanissueofsocialconcern,andpublicsafetyissuchanissue;(5)evenwhereastatuteisconcernedwithsuchanissue,thepresumptionofmensreastandsunlessitcanbeshownthatthecreationofstrictliabilitywillbeeffectivetopromotetheobjectsofthestatutebyencouraginggreatervigilancetopreventthecommissionoftheprohibitedact.(1)PRESUMPTIONOFMENSREACourtsusuallybeginwiththepresumptioninfavorofmensrea,seeingthewell-knownstatementbyWrightJinSherrasvDeRutzen:Thereisapresumptionthatmensrea,orevilintention,orknowledgeofthewrongfulnessoftheact,isanessentialingredientineveryoffence;butthatpresumptionisliabletobedisplacedeitherbythewordsofthestatutecreatingtheoffenceorbythesubject-matterwithwhichitdeals,andbothmustbeconsidered(2)GRAVITYOFPUNISHMENTAsageneralrule,themoreseriousthecriminaloffencecreatedbystatute,thelesslikelythecourtsistoviewitasanoffenceofstrictliability.See:SweetvParsley[1970]:Thedefendantwasalandladyofahouselettotenants.Sheretainedoneroominthehouseforherselfandvisitedoccasionallytocollecttherentandletters.Whileshewasabsentthepolicesearchedthehouseandfoundcannabis.Thedefendantwasconvictedunders5oftheDangerousDrugsAct1965,ofbeingconcernedinthemanagementofpremisesusedforthesmokingofcannabis.Sheappealedallegingthatshehadnoknowledgeofthecircumstancesandindeedcouldnotexpectreasonablytohavehadsuchknowledge.TheHouseofLords,quashingherconviction,heldthatithadtobeprovedthatthedefendanthadintendedthehousetobeusedfordrug-taking,sincethestatuteinquestioncreatedaserious,ortrulycriminaloffence,convictionforwhichwouldhavegraveconsequencesforthedefendant.LordReidstatedthatastigmastillattachestoanypersonconvictedofatrulycriminaloffence,andthemoreseriousormoredisgracefultheoffencethegreaterthestigma.Andequallyimportant,thepressinthiscountryarevigilanttoexposeinjustice,andeverymanifestlyunjustconvictionmadeknowntothepublictendstoinjurethebodypolitic[peopleofanation]byunderminingpublicconfidenceinthejusticeofthelawandofitsadministration.LordReidwentontopointoutthatinanyeventitwasimpracticaltoimposeabsoluteliabilityforanoffenceofthisnature,asthosewhowereresponsibleforlettingpropertiescouldnotpossiblybeexpectedtoknoweverythingthattheirtenantsweredoing.(3)WORDINGOFTHESTATUTEIndeterminingwhetherthepresumptioninfavorofmensreaistobedisplaced,thecourtsarerequiredtohavereferencetothewholestatuteinwhichtheoffenceappears.See:CundyvLeCocq(1884):Thedefendantwasconvictedofunlawfullysellingalcoholtoanintoxicatedperson,contrarytos13oftheLicensingAct1872.Onappeal,thedefendantcontendedthathehadbeenunawareofthecustomer'sdrunkennessandthusshouldbeacquitted.TheDivisionalCourtinterpreteds13ascreatinganoffenceofstrictliabilitysinceitwasitselfsilentastomensrea,whereasotheroffencesunderthesameActexpresslyrequiredproofofknowledgeonthepartofthedefendant.Itwasheldthatitwasnotnecessarytoconsiderwhetherthedefendantknew,orhadmeansofknowing,orcouldwit