R v Larsonneur (1933), 24 Cr App Rep 74

R v Larsonneur (1933), 24 Cr App Rep 74

Case Summary

Appellant: Germina Larsonneur

Respondent: His Majesty The King

Year: 1933

Court: Court of Criminal Appeal

Judges: Viscount Hewart and Avory and Humphreys JJ

Country: United Kingdom

 

Facts

Larsonneur had a French passport and was granted access to England. Her passport was marked to say that she had to leave the country by a certain date. She left England on that date for Ireland, but was deported from Ireland and was sent back to England in Irish custody. She was found in England, and this was after the date that her passport allowed her to be in the country. She was convicted under the Aliens Restrictions Act for being in the country as an alien to whom leave to land had been refused. She was convicted at second trial and appealed on conviction.

Issue

  1. Does it matter that she did not re-enter England on her own accord, but was forced to do so?

Decision

Appeal Dismissed

Reasons

Hewart, writing for the court, says that it is clear that the woman was an alien. It is also clear that the authorities had the power to put such a restriction on her passport. He says that the circumstances of her being brought back to England after her passport expired were immaterial. She was not allowed to be in England after a certain date, and was found in England after the date. The reason she was there does not matter; she violated the act.

Ratio

Even if you are physically forced to commit the actus reus of an offence against your will, you have still committed it for legal purposes (this is no longer the case).

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