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Prosecuting Homicide

Murder and manslaughter are two of the offences that constitute homicide.

Manslaughter can be committed in one of three ways:

  1. killing with the intent for murder but where there is provocation, diminished responsibility or a suicide pact.
  2. conduct that was grossly negligent given the risk of death, and resulted in death.
  3. conduct, taking the form of an unlawful act involving a danger of some harm, that caused death.

With some exceptions, the crime of murder is committed, where a person:

  • of sound mind and discretion (i.e. sane):
  • unlawfully kills (i.e. not self-defence or other justified killing)
  • any reasonable creature (human being)
  • in being (born alive and breathing through its own lungs)
  • under the Queen's Peace
  • with intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm.

There are other specific homicide offences, for example, infanticide, causing death by dangerous driving, and corporate manslaughter.

Find out more about prosecuting homicide

Home » News Centre » Press Releases » William Dunlop sentenced in first double jeopardy case

William Dunlop sentenced in first double jeopardy case

06/10/2006

The first man to face a retrial under the double jeopardy rule after Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken Macdonald, QC, gave his consent for this case to be referred to the Court of Appeal, has today been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Julie Hogg in 1989.

Martin Goldman, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Cleveland CPS, said the CPS and Cleveland police have continually challenged the basis on which William Dunlop would be sentenced to ensure the court was given all the facts.

He said: "We have undertaken further investigation and presented the results of these to the court in order to prove the level of danger he poses."

At the sentencing hearing, the crown presented to the judge, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith:

  • The circumstances of the murder
  • Victim impact statements from Julie Hogg's son, who was only three at the time of her murder, and her mother, Mrs Ann Ming. Both of these were read out in court
  • Dunlop's previous convictions for violence, including grievous bodily harm, wounding, actual bodily harm and threats to kill.

Mr Goldman added: "William Dunlop is a dangerous killer whose sentence today reflects the premeditated and truly horrendous nature of his crime.

"He has tried to escape responsibility for the murder of Julie Hogg for nearly 20 years and has put her family through great suffering in the process. Today we have finally seen him face the consequences of his actions."

  1. Julie Hogg was killed in Billingham, Cleveland on 16 November 1989. William Dunlop faced two trials for murder and each time the jury failed to reach a verdict. He was formally acquitted in October 1991 at Newcastle Crown Court.
  2. On 14 April 2000, William Dunlop pleaded guilty to two charges of perjury arising out of the evidence he gave at the murder trials. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment to run concurrently on each perjury charge. This sentence was consecutive to one of seven years he was already serving for assault, which was imposed in 1998, making a total of 13 years.
  3. The case against William Dunlop was referred to the DPP by the Chief Crown Prosecutor for Cleveland, Martin Goldman, when the double jeopardy law - that a person once acquitted cannot be tried twice for the same offence - was changed by the Criminal Justice Act 2003. The provisions on the retrial of serious offences (double jeopardy) under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 came into force on April 4, 2005.
  4. William Dunlop was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 17 years.
  5. For further information contact CPS press office on 020 7796 8180.