Biography
Wouter Owain Wegkamp studied law (LL.B, cum laude & LL.M, cum laude) and philosophy of political science (BA, cum laude) at the University of Groningen. Besides his studies he was a student-assistant and lecturer at the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology at the same university, and interned at the Dutch Supreme Court (section of criminal law).
Research
A rationale for criminal liability for inchoate offences.
This PhD project explores the rationale behind criminal liability for inchoate offences, with a primary focus on attempts. It aims to investigate how different theories of punishment, such as retributivism and utilitarianism, influence the construction of liability and the ethical justification for punishing inchoate offences. The research involves a comparative legal analysis of the approaches taken by the Netherlands and England and Wales, examining how each jurisdiction handles inchoate offences, the criteria for liability, and the concept of voluntary withdrawal. Additionally, the project delves into the role of moral luck in assessing culpability and the implications for sanctioning and the justification of inchoate offences. By engaging with contemporary theorists and exploring practical applications within these legal systems, the study seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of how and why inchoate offences are legitimized and punished.
Publications
- Expected: Chapter: H. A. W. Koch & W. O. Wegkamp, ‘In dubio pro libertate: over de inzet van het strafrecht voor een rookvrije generatie’, in: A. Tollenaar (ed.), Naar een rookvrije generatie, University of Groningen Press (2024).
- Expected: Chapter: M.J.F. van der Wolf & W. O. Wegkamp, ‘Oplegging van TBS’, Handboek Strafzaken §53.3.
- Article: W. O. Wegkamp. ‘De achtervolging van de vergelding: het leven en werk van Leo Polak’, Sancties 2024/18.
- Case law note: W. O. Wegkamp & K. J. de Graaf, AB 2021, 295.
