Text-book of forensic medicine and toxicologyBuchanan, R. J. M. (Robert James McLean)
Science
Text-book of forensic medicine and toxicology
Buchanan, R. J. M. (Robert James McLean)
Medical jurisprudence; Poisons
A rape, according to Scottish law, may be committed on a common
strumpet; and in England the law goes even further, and admits the
possibility of rape on the concubine of the ravisher (1 Hale, 729),
“although such circumstances should certainly operate strongly with
the jury as to the probability of the fact that connection was had
with a woman against her will.” A husband may be guilty of rape on his
wife if he hold her while another violates her, as in the case of the
Earl of Castlehaven, tried in 1637. Carnal knowledge of a woman by
fraud, which induces her to suppose it is her husband, now constitutes
a rape by the 48 and 49 Vict c. 69, which enacts that “whereas doubts
have been entertained whether a man who induces a married woman to
permit him to have connection with her by personating her husband, is
or is not guilty of rape, it is hereby enacted and declared that every
such offender shall be deemed to be guilty of rape.” It has also been
decided that if a man get into bed with a woman while she is asleep,
and he know she is asleep, and he have connection with her while in
that state, he is guilty of rape (R. _v._ Mayers, 12 Cox, 311, per
Lush, J.). The offence of rape is not triable at quarter sessions.
Upon an indictment for rape, there must be some evidence that the act
was without the consent of the woman, even when she is an idiot. In
such a case, where there was no appearance of force having been used to
the woman, and the only evidence of the connection was the prisoner‘s
own admission, coupled with the statement that it was done with her
consent, the Court held that there was no evidence for the jury (R.
_v._ Fletcher, L.R. 1 C.C.R. 39).
In another case, where the prisoner was caught in the act by the father
of an idiot girl, the learned judge told the jury that if the prisoner
had connection with the prosecutrix by force, and if she was in such
an idiotic state that she did not know what the prisoner was doing,
and if the prisoner was aware of her being in that state, they might
find him guilty of rape; but if, from animal instinct, she yielded to
the prisoner without resistance, or if the prisoner, from her state
and condition, had reason to believe she was consenting, they ought to
acquit him. The jury found that he was guilty of an attempt at rape (R.
_v._ Barrat, L.R. 2 C.C. 81).
Where the prosecutrix, an apparent idiot, proved that the prisoner had
had connection with her, but it appeared from her examination that
though she knew he was doing wrong, she made no resistance, and the
prisoner, on being apprehended and charged with committing a rape upon
the prosecutrix “against her will,” said “Yes, I did, and I‘m very
sorry for it,” it was held that there was evidence to go to the jury of
a rape (R. _v._ Pressy, 10 Cox, 635).
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