Prof Shannon Hoctor

Professor

 

BA, LLB, LLM (UCT), DJuris (Leiden), PG Diploma in Latin (University of Wales Trinity Saint David)

 

 

 

 

Professor Shannon Hoctor has a specialisation in criminal justice, and in substantive criminal law in particular. He further has a particular research interest in legal history. He holds BA, LLB, and LLM degrees from the University of Cape Town (UCT), a doctorate in law (DJuris) from the University of Leiden (Netherlands), as well as a postgraduate diploma in Latin from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Professor Hoctor’s academic career began at UCT’s Faculty of Law as a part-time lecturer in specific crimes before he took up a contract-teaching position at the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE), where he was later appointed to a senior lectureship, teaching criminal law and jurisprudence. After his promotion to associate professor at UPE, Professor Hoctor took up a chair in law at the University of Natal (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal) in Pietermaritzburg, where he taught from 2002 to 2021.

Professor Hoctor served as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of KwaZulu-Natal from 2010 to 2011. He has published numerous articles in law journals, along with several chapters in books, and has authored books in criminal law, statutory offences and road traffic law, along with five edited works. He has served as editor-in-chief of the South African Journal of Criminal Justice since 2010, of Fundamina – A Journal of Legal History since 2019, and assistant editor of Obiter since 2002. Professor Hoctor has been admitted as an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. He serves as President of the Southern African Society of Legal Historians, and is a member of the Selden Society, the Stair Society, and the South African branch of the International Law Association.

 Professor Shannon Hoctor spesialiseer in strafregtelike geregtigheid, en veral in die substantiewe strafreg. Hy het verder ʼn spesifieke navorsingsbelang in regsgeskiedenis. Hy het sy BA, LLB en LLM-grade aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad (UK), ʼn doktorsgraad (Djuris) aan die Universiteit van Leiden (Nederland), asook ʼn nagraadse diploma in Latyn aan die Universiteit van Wallis Trinity Saint David, verwerf. Professor Hoctor se akademiese loopbaan het by UK se Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid as deeltydse dosent in spesifieke misdade begin. Daarna het hy ʼn kontrakonderrigpos aan die Universiteit van Port Elizabeth (UPE) voltooi, waar hy later as senior dosent vir strafreg en regswetenskap aangestel is. Na sy bevordering as medeprofessor by UPE het professor Hoctor die voorsittersposisie aan die Universiteit van Natal (nou die Universiteit van KwaZulu-Natal) in Pietermaritzburg opgeneem, waar hy van 2002 tot 2021 gedoseer het. Professor Hoctor het vanaf 2010 tot 2011 as vise dekaan van die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid aan die Universiteit van KwaZulu-Natal gedien.

Hy het talle artikels in regsjoernale en verskeie hoofstukke in boeke gepubliseer. Hy het ook verskeie boeke in strafreg, statutêre oortredings en padverkeersreg, saam met vyf geredigeerde werke gepubliseer. Hy het sedert 2010 as hoofredakteur van die South African Journal of Criminal Justice en sedert 2019 van Fundamina – A Journal of Legal History, gedien. Hy dien ook sedert 2002 as mederedakteur van Obiter. Hy is ook toegelaat as ʼn advokaat van die Hooggeregshof van Suid-Afrika. Hy dien as president van die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging van Regsgeskiedkundiges, en is ʼn lid van die Seldon Vereniging, die Stairgenootskap en die Suid-Afrikaanse tak van die Internasionale Regsvereniging.
 

Modules taught

Advanced Criminal Law

International Criminal Law

  

Modules Aangebied

Gevorderde Strafreg

Internasional strafreg
Fields of specialisation

Criminal Law

Criminal Justice

 Areas van belangstelling

Strafreg

Strafregtelike Geregtigheid

 

 

Publications/Publikasies

Journal articles/Joernaalartikels

  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Crimes” (2010) 23 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 122-131.
  • SV Hoctor & M Carnelley “Sentencing the Elderly – An Act of Mercy or Discrimination?” (2010) 31 Obiter 208-216.
  • SV Hoctor & P Vrancken “The Contribution of the Defence Act to the Fight Against Piracy” (2010) 31 Obiter 428-433.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2010) 23 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 408-413.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal Law” (2009) Annual Survey of South African Law 284-324.
  • SV Hoctor “Which Structures Does the Housebreaking Crime Protect?” (2011) 32 Obiter 417-427.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2011) 24 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 201-213.
  • SV Hoctor “Tracing the Origins of the Defence of Non-Pathological Incapacity in South African criminal law” (2011) 17 Fundamina 70-82.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal Law” (2010) Annual Survey of South African Law 325-355.
  • SV Hoctor & S Krause “Of Implication, Insinuation and Incitement – R v Jones [2010] 3 All ER 1186 (CA)” (2011) 32 Obiter 760-768.
  • SV Hoctor “The State of Common Purpose Liability in South Africa – S v Mzwempi [2011] ZAECMHC 5, 2011 (2) SACR 237” (2012) Journal of Commonwealth Criminal Law 180-189.
  • SV Hoctor & M Carnelley “Misattributed Paternity – Nel v Jonker (WC) Unreported Case Number A653/2009 dated 2011-02-17” (2012) 33 Obiter 163-178.
  • SV Hoctor “Belief in Witchcraft as a Mitigating Factor in Sentencing – S v Latha and Another 2012 (2) SACR 30 (ECG)” (2012) 33 Obiter 380-389.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General principles and specific offences” (2012) 25 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 398-405.
  • SV Hoctor & M Carnelley “The Purpose and Ambit of the Offence of Concealment of Birth – S v Molefe 2012 (2) SACR 574 (GNP)” (2012) 33 Obiter 732-744.
  • SV Hoctor “Examining the Expanding Crime of Robbery” (2012) 25 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 361-378.
  • SV Hoctor “The Crime of Defamation – Still Defensible in a Modern Constitutional Democracy?” (2013) 34 Obiter 125-135.
  • SV Hoctor “Death on the Roads and Dolus Eventualis – S v Humphreys 2013 (2) SACR 1 (SCA)” (2013) 26 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 75-85.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal Law” (2011) Annual Survey of South African Law 336-369.
  • SV Hoctor “The Offence of Being Found in Disguise in Suspicious Circumstances” (2013) 34 Obiter 316-321.
  • SV Hoctor “The Nature of the Crime of Arson in South African Law” (2013) 19 Fundamina 321-332.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2013) 26 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 186-196.
  • SV Hoctor “The Degree of Foresight in Dolus Eventualis” (2013) 26 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 131-155.
  • SV Hoctor & M Carnelley “Some Comments on the Dangerous Weapons Act 15 of 2013” (2013) 26 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 354-363.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal Law” (2012) Annual Survey of South African Law 243-266.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General principles and specific offences” (2014) 27 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 63-71.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal Law” (2013) Annual Survey of South African Law 297-332.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2015) 28 South African Journal of Criminal Justice (2015) 73-84.
  • SV Hoctor “The (Surprising) Roots of the Test for Criminal Liability for Interrupted Attempt in South African Law” (2015) 28 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 363-372.
  • SV Hoctor & P Carnelley “The Meaning of the Term ‘Stabularius’ in South African Law” (2015) 36 Obiter 769-779.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal Law” (2014) Annual Survey of South African Law 292-314.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2016) 29 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 54-65.
  • SV Hoctor “Negligence ‘In the Air’ or on the Road? – Ndlela v S 2013 (unreported, KZP) case no AR 630/2012” (2016) 37 Obiter 392-400.
  • SV Hoctor “A New Category of Common Purpose Liability?” (2016) 37 Obiter 666-673.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2016) 29 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 339-350.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal Law” (2015) Annual Survey of South African Law 292-316.
  • SV Hoctor “Statutory Regulation of Housebreaking and Intrusion in South Africa – An Historical Perspective” (2017) 23 Fundamina 39-60.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2017) 30 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 385-395.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal Law” (2016) Annual Survey of South African Law 282-308.
  • SV Hoctor “Of Housebreaking and Common Purpose – S v Leshilo 2017 JDR 1788 (GP)” (2018) 39 Obiter 825-833.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General principles and specific offences” (2018) 31 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 437-451.
  • SV Hoctor “Non-pathological criminal incapacity relating to provocation or emotional stress – an overview of developments in South African law” (2019) 49 South African Journal of Psychology 1-11.
  • SV Hoctor & S Maharaj “The Defence of Provocation – Where Are We Now?” (2019) 40 Obiter 307-315.
  • SV Hoctor & S Goosen “Comparing Self-Defence and Necessity in English and South African Law – R v Riddell [2018] 1 All ER 62; [2017] EWCA Crim 413” (2019) 40 Obiter 191-201.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminalisation of Damage to Property by South African Common-Law Crimes” (2019) 25 Fundamina 35-67.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2019) 32 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 387-398.
  • SV Hoctor “Recent Cases: General Principles and Specific Offences” (2020) 33 South African Journal of Criminal Justice 751-760.
  • SV Hoctor “Voluntary withdrawal in the context of attempt – a defence?” (2021) 42 Obiter 148-161.

Books/Boeke

  • JRL Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure Vol III: Statutory Offences 2 ed (1988).
  • SV Hoctor & PJ Schwikkard The Exemplary Scholar: Essays in Honour of John Milton (2007).
  • SV Hoctor Cooper’s Motor Law: Criminal Liability, Administrative Adjudication & Medico-legal Aspects 2 ed (2008).
  • MA Kidd & SV Hoctor Stella Iuris: Celebrating 100 years of Teaching Law in Pietermaritzburg (2010).
  • SV Hoctor LAWSA Vol 6 2ed “Criminal Law” (2010 replacement volume) in JA Faris & LTC Harms eds
  • M Carnelley & SV Hoctor Law, Order and Liberty – Essays in Honour of Tony Mathews (2011) 591-600.
  • SV Hoctor, Kluwer Law & Alphen aan den Rijn Criminal Law in South Africa (2013).
  • SV Hoctor & A Mukheibir De Jure Gentium et Civili – Festschrift in Honour of Eltjo Schrage (2014).
  • SV Hoctor, Kluwer Law & Alphen aan den Rijn Criminal Law in South Africa 2 ed (2017).
  • SV Hoctor Criminal Law Vol 11 3 ed (2017).
  • PJ Schwikkard & SV Hoctor A Reasonable Man: Essays in honour of Jonathan Burchell (2019).
  • SV Hoctor Snyman’s Criminal Law 7 ed (2020).

Chapters in books/Hoofstukke in boeke

  • J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor “Offences relating to the police and prison services” (C3: 1-12); “Tobacco offences” (F9: 1-7) & “Offences relating to housing” (F10: 1-13) in South African Criminal Law and Procedure Volume III: Statutory Offences 2 ed (2010).
  • M Kidd & SV Hoctor “The Law Faculty in Pietermaritzburg 1991-2010” in Stella Iuris: Celebrating 100 years of teaching law in Pietermaritzburg (2010) 16-31.
  • M Kidd & SV Hoctor “Amnesia and criminal responsibility” in Stella Iuris: Celebrating 100 years of Teaching Law in Pietermaritzburg (2010) 349-363.
  • SV Hoctor “Sentencing” in L Harms & JA Faris (eds) LAWSA 2 ed (2010) 405-453.
  • J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor “Offences relating to publications” (E7:1-12); “Civil aviation offences” (G6:1-15) in South African Criminal Law and Procedure Volume III: Statutory Offences 2 ed (2011).
  • “Revision service 2” in SV Hoctor Cooper’s Motor Law: Criminal Liability, Administrative Adjudication & Medico-legal Aspects 2 ed (2008).
  • SV Hoctor “Indecency” (E4:1-10); “Offences against older persons” (F11: 1-6) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (1988).
  • SV Hoctor  “Corruption” (D3: 1-32); “Witchcraft” (E2: 1-12) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (1988).
  • SV Hoctor “Revision service 3” in Hoctor Cooper’s Motor Law: Criminal Liability, Administrative Adjudication & Medico-legal Aspects 2 ed (2008).
  • SV Hoctor “Sexual offences” (E3: 1-103) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (1988).
  • SV Hoctor “’Tiger! Tiger! Burning Bright’: the Common-Law and Statutory Principles Governing the Ownership of Exotic Wild Animals in South Africa” in M Carnelley, SV Hoctor & A Mukheibir (eds) De Jure Gentium et Civili – Festschrift in Honour of Eltjo Schrage (2014) 187-207.
  • SV Hoctor “Road traffic offences” (G3: 1-88) in Milton, Cowling & Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (1988).
  • SV Hoctor “Offences related to public gatherings” (B3: 1-9); “Obstructing the police and escaping from custody” (C4: 1-23); “Election offences” (D1: 1-9); “Offences relating to sports and recreational events” (G7: 1-5); “Unexplained possession of goods suspected stolen property” (J6: 1-13) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (1988).
  • SV Hoctor “Revision service 4” in Hoctor Cooper’s Motor Law: Criminal Liability, Administrative Adjudication & Medico-legal Aspects 2ed (2008). “Offences relating to the registration of births, deaths, and marriages and civil unions” (D2: 1-10); “Offences related to dependence-producing drugs” (F3: 1-50); “Statutory housebreaking and vehiclebreaking” (J5: 1-7) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (1988).
  • SV Hoctor “Desecration of national symbols” (A1: 1-2); “Offences related to immigration and emigration” (D4: 1-9); “Postal and electronic offences” (G5: 1-18); “Intimidation” (HA1: 1-12) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (loose-leaf, 1988-).
  • SV Hoctor “Energy” in L Harms & JA Faris (eds) LAWSA Vol 9 2ed (2018) 1-115.
  • SV Hoctor “Espionage and related offences” (A5:1-21); “Energy” (L2: 1-19) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (loose-leaf, 1988-).
  • SV Hoctor “Extradition” in Harms and Faris (eds) LAWSA Vol 20 3 ed (2019) 1-30.
  • SV Hoctor “The publications” in PJ Schwikkard & SV Hoctor (eds) A Reasonable Man: Essays in Honour of Jonathan Burchell (2019).
  • SV Hoctor “Assessing the de minimis non curat lex defence in South African criminal law” in PJ Schwikkard & SV Hoctor (eds) A Reasonable Man: Essays in Honour of Jonathan Burchell (2019) 119-150.
  • SV Hoctor “Criminal law and procedure” in Tait et al Tourism and the Law in South Africa 2 ed (2020) 321-341.
  • SV Hoctor “Offences relating to the administration of criminal justice (C1: 1-40); “Offences relating to housing” (F10: 1-13); “Offences related to treatment of animals” (E6: 1-19); “Intimidation” (HA1: 1-7) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (1988).
  • SV Hoctor “Road traffic offences” (G3) in J Milton, MG Cowling & SV Hoctor South African Criminal Law and Procedure (Vol III: Statutory Offences) 2 ed (1988).
  •  SV Hoctor “Revision service 5” in Hoctor Cooper’s Motor Law: Criminal Liability, Administrative Adjudication & Medico-legal Aspects 2 ed (2008). (still to be released).

Reviews/Resensies

  • MA Kidd & SV Hoctor “Preface” (2010) in Stella Iuris: Celebrating 100 years of teaching law in Pietermaritzburg (2010) Juta, Cape Town.
  • SH Hoctor & M Carnelley Lesotho Appeal Cases vols 1-4 in South African Law Journal KA Maope (ed) (2011) 128 384-390.
  • “Editorial” in South African Journal of Criminal Justice (2011) 24 viii-x.
  • M Carnelley, SV Hoctor & A Mukheibir “Dedication” (2014) in De Jure Gentium et Civili – Festschrift in Honour of Eltjo Schrage.
  • SH Hoctor, PJ Schwikkard & S Terblanche “Editors foreword – Twenty years after: the impact of the Bill of Rights on criminal justice in South Africa”, South African Journal of Criminal Justice (2014) 27 249.
  • Book notice: LC Bande Criminal Law in Malawi (2017) in South African Law Journal (2017) 134 955-957.
  • “In memoriam: Professor JRL Milton (1939-2017)” in South African Journal of Criminal Justice (2017) 30 297.
  • “Editorial note” in South African Journal of Criminal Justice (2019) 32.
  • “Foreword” in PJ Schwikkard & SV Hoctor (eds) A Reasonable Man: Essays in honour of Jonathan Burchell (2019) v-vi.
  • “Editorial note” in South African Journal of Criminal Justice (2020) 32.