... which measure to follow. The current state of the law on intention was expressed by the House of Lords in the case of R v Woollin 1998. This case modified an earlier direction made by the Court of Appeal in the case of R v Nedrick. In Woollin the law lords expressed that intention can only be established if the defendant knew that the consequences would be a virtually certain result of his actions. However this has not always been the case. The first major case in determining intention was the case of DPP v Hyam 1975 where the defendant poured petrol through a woman's letter box and the set fire to it. Due to Hyam's actions two children died. The defendant claimed that she had only intended to frighten the woman. Judges in this case gave the impression that intention could be established if it was proved that the ...

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