R v Codere (1916) 12 Cr App R 21

The appellant was convicted of murder. He sought to rely on the defence of insanity, however, at the time of the killing he knew that it was unlawful to kill.

Held:

He was not able to rely on the defence of insanity.

Lord Reading on the meaning of 'wrong' referred to in the M'Naghten rules:

"If the accused does know either that his act is morally wrong according to the ordinary standard adopted by reasonable men or that it is legally wrong then it cannot be said that he does not know he was doing what was wrong."

 

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