A Level Law Practice Exam

What must a court establish to determine indirect intent according to Woollin?

1. The result must be a probable outcome

2. The result must be a known risk

3. The result must be virtually certain to occur

4. The defendant must have intended the outcome

The correct answer is: The result must be virtually certain to occur

In order to establish indirect intent according to the ruling in Woollin, the court must determine that the result of the defendant's actions was virtually certain to occur. This principle stems from the concept that while the defendant may not have intended the harm directly, they must have had an awareness that their actions would almost inevitably lead to that result. The court's focus on "virtually certain" highlights a threshold where the likelihood of the outcome is so high that it effectively equates to intending the consequence, even if there may not have been a direct intention to bring about that specific outcome. This standard helps to differentiate between cases of genuine accident and those where a person's reckless disregard for a virtually certain result can establish culpability for indirect intent. The other options touch on different interpretations of intent but do not align with the strict standard set forth in Woollin. For instance, stating that the result must be a probable outcome or a known risk suggests a lower threshold than what is required – neither of which sufficiently demonstrate the level of belief about the outcome that is necessary to establish indirect intent. Additionally, the notion that the defendant must have intended the outcome conflicts directly with indirect intent, as it centers on a more direct mindset rather than one of awareness of certainty regarding the