noun

• The intention or knowledge of wrongdoing that constitutes part of a crime, as opposed to the action or conduct of the accused.

  Compare with actus reus

  ‘a mistaken belief in consent meant that the defendant lacked mens rea’

  More example sentences

  • ‘An injury caused without mens rea might be grounds for civil liability but typically not for criminal.’
  • ‘There was no requirement in the relevant act that his mens rea should relate to a named victim.’
  • ‘The mens rea or mental element of a crime is usually based on the intention of the accused at the time.’
  • ‘The lack of mens rea is what protects a two-year-old from facing charges of theft.’
  • ‘If there is no mens rea such as in an accident, an individual cannot be found guilty of a crime requiring criminal intent.’

  Synonyms

  planning, intent, forethought, pre-planning, advance planning, prearrangement, deliberation