Universities responsible for stopping violence

Many people are now aware of the old English common law offense of "misconduct in public office", largely due to the fact that a number of senior public officials, including former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, were charged with this offense. But not too many people are aware of the landmark case R vs Dytham, which triggered prosecutions under this common law offense. That case involved a British police constable, Dytham, who was on patrol duty outside a nightclub and saw a fight with loud screams and a man being beaten and kicked. But he made no move to intervene and just drove away, claiming he was off work. The man later died and Dytham was convicted of this offense. The court held that as a police officer, he has a duty of care to everyone in society, and failing to do so is an offense.