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Alphacell v Wodward

[1972] AC 824

Case summary last updated at 15/01/2020 07:56 by the Oxbridge Notes in-house law team.

Judgement for the case Alphacell v Wodward

Alphacell is a manufacturer whose pollution pumps were not working and this allowed pollution to enter the nearby river. They were convicted and their appeal was rejected. HL rejected their appeal since “causing polluting matter to enter the river” was a strict liability offence. Causing had a common sense meaning and no state of mind was required to be guilty. 

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