Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) Practice Exa\

For a defendant to be liable for attempted murder, it is necessary that they must have taken substantial steps towards committing the crime itself. This means that there should be actions which indicate a clear intent to kill that go beyond mere preparation. Simply planning or expressing intent is insufficient; there has to be a clear movement towards the act of murder.

This distinguishes attempted murder from other crimes where preparation might not constitute an attempt. The key aspect is that the defendant must have engaged in conduct that demonstrates they have begun executing their intent to commit murder. The law seeks to focus on a clear and concrete effort to carry out the harmful act, rather than just thoughts, plans, or previous behavior.

In contrast, requiring the defendant to express intent during the trial does not suffice because intent must be demonstrated through actions prior to trial. Similarly, while evidence of a clear plan or prior acts may provide context, they do not independently establish liability for attempted murder without evidence of action taken towards the commission of the crime.