(6) Evidence of self-induced intoxication cannot be considered in determining whether conduct is voluntary.
(7) Intoxication is self-induced unless it came about:
(a) involuntarily; or
(b) as a result of fraud, sudden or extraordinary emergency, accident, reasonable mistake, duress or force.
4.3 Omissions
An omission to perform an act can only be a physical element if:
(a) the law creating the offence makes it so; or
(b) the law creating the offence impliedly provides that the offence is committed by an omission to perform an act that by law there is a duty to perform.
Division 5
Fault elements
5.1 Fault elements
(1) A fault element for a particular physical element may be intention, knowledge, recklessness or negligence.
(2) Subsection (1) does not prevent a law that creates a particular offence from specifying other fault elements for a physical element of that offence.
5.2 Intention
(1) A person has intention with respect to conduct if he or she means to engage in that conduct.
(2) A person has intention with respect to a circumstance if he or she believes that it exists or will exist.
(3) A person has intention with respect to a result if he or she means to bring it about or is aware that it will occur in the ordinary course of events.
5.3 Knowledge
A person has knowledge of a circumstance or a result if he or she is aware that it exists or will exist in the ordinary course of events.
5.4 Recklessness
(1) A person is reckless with respect to a circumstance if:
(a) he or she is aware of a substantial risk that the circumstance exists or will exist; and
(b) having regard to the circumstances known to him or her, it is unjustifiable to take the risk.
(2) A person is reckless with respect to a result if:
(a) he or she is aware of a substantial risk that the result will occur; and
(b) having regard to the circumstances known to him or her, it is unjustifiable to take the risk.
(3) The question whether taking a risk is unjustifiable is one of fact.
(4) If recklessness is a fault element for a physical element of an offence, proof of intention, knowledge or recklessness will satisfy that fault element.
5.5 Negligence
A person is negligent with respect to a physical element of an offence if his or her conduct involves:
(a) such a great falling short of the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise in the circumstances; and
(b) such a high risk that the physical element exists or will exist;
that the conduct merits criminal punishment for the offence.
5.6 Offences that do not specify fault elements
(1) If the law creating the offence does not specify a fault element for a physical element that consists only of conduct, intention is the fault element for that physical element.
(2) If the law creating the offence does not specify a fault element for a physical element that consists of a circumstance or a result, recklessness is the fault element for that physical element.
Note: Under subsection 5.4(4), recklessness can be established by proving intention, knowledge or recklessness.
Division 6
Cases where fault elements are not required
6.1 Strict liability
(1) If a law that creates an offence provides that the offence is an offence of strict liability:
(a) there are no fault elements for any of the physical elements of the offence; and
(b) the defence of mistake of fact under section 9.2 is available.
(2) If a law that creates an offence provides that strict liability applies to a particular physical element of the offence:
(a) there are no fault elements for that physical element; and
(b) the defence of mistake of fact under section 9.2 is available in relation to that physical element.
(3) The existence of strict liability does not make any other defence unavailable.
6.2 Absolute liability
(1) If a law that creates an offence provides that the offence is an offence of absolute liability:
(a) there are no fault elements for any of the physical elements of the offence; and
(b) the defence of mistake of fact under section 9.2 is unavailable.
(2) If a law that creates an offence provides that absolute liability applies to a particular physical element of the offence:
(a) there are no fault elements for that physical element; and
(b) the defence of mistake of fact under section 9.2 is unavailable in relation to that physical element.
(3) The existence of absolute liability does not make any other defence unavailable.
Part 2.3
Circumstances in which there is no criminal responsibility
Note: This Part sets out defences that are generally available. Defences that apply to a more limited class of offences are dealt with elsewhere in this Code and in other laws.
Division 7
Circumstances involving lack of capacity
7.1 Children under 10
A child under 10 years old is not criminally responsible for an offence.
7.2 Children over 10 but under 14
(1) A child aged 10 years or more but under 14 years old can only be criminally responsible for an offence if the child knows that his or her conduct is wrong.
(2) The question whether a child knows that his or her conduct is wrong is one of fact. The burden of proving this is on the prosecution.
7.3 Mental impairment
(1) A person is not criminally responsible for an offence if, at the time of carrying out the conduct constituting the offence, the person was suffering from a mental impairment that had the effect that:
(a) the person did not know the nature and quality of the conduct; or
(b) the person did not know that the conduct was wrong (that is, the person could not reason with a moderate degree of sense and composure about whether the conduct, as perceived by reasonable people, was wrong); or
(c) the person