Miller [1983] 2 AC 161

This case considered the issue of the omission to perform a legal duty and whether or not a person was under a duty to prevent a fire from spreading in a house when he knew that he had accidentally started it.  In other words, whether an omission to act was sufficient actus reus for the offence.  The man argued that there was no liability in criminal law for an omission to act and that there was no duty to extinguish an fire that had been accidentally started.