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Corporate Manslaughter (Section 1 Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007)

Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, s.1

  • Indictable only
  • Fine (on conviction on indictment)

Definition

An organisation to which this section applies is guilty of an offence if the way in which its activities are managed or organised (a) causes a person's death, and (b) amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased. (Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, s.1(1)) An organisation is guilty of an offence under this section only if the way in which its activities are managed or organised by its senior management is a substantial element in the breach referred to in subsection (1). (Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, s.1(3))

Points to prove

  1. An organisation to which s.1 applies (a corporation, a department or other body listed in Schedule 1, a police force, or a partnership, trade union or employers' association that is an employer, s.1(2))
  2. the way in which its activities are managed or organised
  3. causes a person's death
  4. and amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased
  5. and the way in which its activities are managed or organised by its senior management is a substantial element in the breach (s.1(3))

Corporate Manslaughter is an offence under s.1 Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. An organisation to which the section applies is guilty of an offence if the way in which its activities are managed or organised causes a person's death and amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased (s.1(1)). The organisations are a corporation, a department or other body listed in Schedule 1, a police force, and a partnership, trade union or employers' association that is an employer (s.1(2)). The organisation is guilty only if the way its activities are managed or organised by its senior management is a substantial element in the breach (s.1(3)). A breach is "gross" if the conduct falls far below what can reasonably be expected of the organisation in the circumstances (s.1(4)(b)). Maximum sentence: on conviction on indictment, a fine (s.1(6)).

In practice

This is an indictable-only offence: it must be tried at the Crown Court. The charging decision rests with the CPS (not police). The suspect must be cautioned in accordance with Code C PACE 1984 before any questions about the offence are put to them. Interviews must be audio-recorded (Code E) or, for indictable offences, may be visually recorded (Code F).

Last updated 20 October 2026. Reviewed 20 October 2026