What is the meaning of actus reus and mens rea?

Actus reus and mens rea are latin terms used in Criminal Law in England and Wales. Actus reus refers to the, "guilty act" of a crime, and mens rea refers to the, "guilty mind" of a crime. For example, if the crime is rape, the actus reus is the insertion of a human penis into a human orifice, and the mens rea is the intention to do so or lack of reasonable belief that the victim was consenting to the penetration.

EG
Answered by Erika G. Law tutor

8563 Views

See similar Law A Level tutors

Related Law A Level answers

All answers ▸

What are Actus Reus and Mens Rea?


What is murder and who defined it?


How do I answer a problem question on negligence?


How would you approach a problem question on murder?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning