R v White [1910]

1. Facts:

• The defendant (the son) attempted to poison his mother by putting poison in her drink.

• Mother died from a heart attack before the poison could take effect.

• Medical evidence showed the heart attack was unrelated to the poisoning attempt.

2. Outcome:

• White was not found guilty of murder due to lack of factual causation.

• The "but for" test could not be satisfied as the mother would have died from the heart attack regardless of the poison.

• White was found guilty of attempted murder.

3. Impact and Analysis:

• Causation in Fact: R v White is a crucial case for understanding the requirement of causation in criminal law, specifically the application of the "but for" test.

• Criminal Liability: Demonstrates how legal liability is assigned based on the factual circumstances, ensuring that defendants are charged according to the actual impact of their actions.