R v Pagett (1983) 76 Cr App R 279; [1983] Crim. L.R. 393

Facts: The defendant (D) shot at an armed police who were attempting to arrest him. The police returned fire, and D attempted to use the victim (V), a pregnant teenage girl standing nearby, with whom he was in a previous relationship with, as a human shield. The police officer shot and killed V.

Held: D was guilty of manslaughter. D was still causally responsible for V’s death. An act performed in self-preservation does not amount to an intervening act if it is caused by D’s conduct. The police officers’ act did not sever the chain of causation because they were acting in self-defence.