Intoxication and Criminal Liability

This report, Intoxication and Criminal Liability (Cm. 7526) , addresses the issue of intoxication from alcohol or other drugs and its bearing on the criminal liability, if any, of a person charged with an offense, whether it is alleged that the defendant committed the offense or that he/she took a secondary role in the commission by assisting or encouraging a perpetrator. The focus, in particular, is the extent to which voluntary intoxication should be available to support a ‘defense’ based on absence of fault.