View source for R v Woodrow

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'''''Regina v. Woodrow''''', 15 M. & W. 404 (Exch. 1846) was a [[legal case|case]] decided by the [[law of England|English]] [[Court of Exchequer Chamber]] that first adopted a [[strict liability]] standard for the [[Crime|criminal offence]] of selling impure foods.<ref>Bonnie, R.J. et al.  ''Criminal Law, Second Edition.''  Foundation Press, New York, NY: 2004, p. 252</ref>

==Decision==
The defendant was charged with violating a [[statute]] that prohibited possession of adulterated [[tobacco]].  The court held the defendant criminally [[liable]] even though he had no knowledge or reason to suspect the adulteration.  The court justified this adoption of strict liability as being in the interests of convenient prosecution.<ref>Bonnie, p. 252</ref>

This decision overruled ''[[Rex v. Dixon]]'', which had included a [[mens rea]] requirement.<ref>Bonnie, p. 252</ref>

==References==
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[[Category:English criminal case law|W]]
[[Category:1846 in case law]]
[[Category:1846 in England]]
[[Category:Court of Exchequer Chamber cases]]
[[Category:Food safety scandals]]
[[Category:Tobacco in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Food safety in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1846 in British law]]


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