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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

Crimes involving young people

Young people as victims and witnesses

Being a victim or a witness to a crime is not easy, but we work hard to bring offenders to justice. Throughout the justice process we will support young victims and witnesses and treat them with dignity.

Find out more about how we support young victims and witnesses

Youth crime

The Crown Prosecution Service acts in partnership with other agencies such as the police, the youth justice board, children's services, courts and youth offending teams. Each area of the CPS has a youth justice specialist who oversees the prosecution of youth crime in their area.

Find out more about how we prosecute youth crime

Home » News Centre » Press Releases » Mother not guilty of killing baby by salt poisoning

Mother not guilty of killing baby by salt poisoning

27/10/2006

The case of Marianne Williams, who was acquitted of killing her baby by overdosing him with salt, was always going to be a difficult one to prove, said Wiltshire Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Rob Welling.

Mr Welling said: "This was a very upsetting case of a mother accused of deliberately giving her 16-month-old son salt after being warned by a hospital that a large dose of salt would kill him.

"There was no doubt that Joshua died as a result of a very high level of salt in his blood. The question for the prosecution was how it got there and who, if anyone, had given it to him.

"The prosecution case was that Joshua was in the care of his mother at the time and she gave him the salt, with fatal consequences."

The prosecution obtained evidence from a number of eminent medical experts in the field of paediatric care and toxicology, said Mr Welling, who all agreed that Joshua's condition did not occur naturally, but as the result of administration of an excessive amount of salt.

Mr Welling said: "At the end of the prosecution case, the defence argued that the evidence of one of the prosecution experts had been successfully challenged under cross-examination and that the case against Ms Williams had not been proved beyond all reasonable doubt. They invited the judge to direct the jury to acquit Ms Williams.

"The judge said at the end of the prosecution case he was satisfied that there were matters remaining that should rightly be considered by the jury. He therefore decided that the case should continue and the verdict left to the jury to decide.

"After considering all the evidence, the jury has decided that Ms Williams is not guilty of the charge of murder, or the alternative charge of manslaughter."

  1. Joshua William Taylor was born on November 26 2002. He was pronounced dead at Southampton General Hospital on February 27 2004. He had been brought to the hospital on February 24 2004 by his parents.
  2. Marianne Williams was charged with his murder, and an alternative charge of manslaughter, on September 19 2004.
  3. The media should be aware that there is an injunction in existence, obtained by Wiltshire County Council, which prevents any identification of the other child in the family. For details of the injunction contact the council.
  4. For further information contact CPS Press Office on 020 7796 8180.