This chapter examines the offences of damage to property, which are governed by the Criminal Damage Act 1971. It considers the ability to define damage; the relationship between the elements of the offence, particularly D’s mens rea as to circumstance elements; and the arguments for endangerment offences.
Chapter
17. Offences of damage to property
Chapter
10. Other offences against property
Without assuming prior legal knowledge, books in the Directions series introduce and guide readers through key points of law and legal debate. Questions, diagrams, and exercises help readers to engage fully with each subject and check their understanding as they progress. This chapter explores other offences against property such as robbery, burglary, aggravated burglary, blackmail, handling stolen goods, and criminal damage. The first four of these offences are found in the Theft Act 1968 and criminal damage is found in the Criminal Damage Act 1971. While these offences primarily seek to protect property or economic interests, some also provide protection to the well-being of the individual.
Chapter
10. Property Offences
This chapter discusses property offences. These include theft, taking a conveyance without consent, robbery, blackmail, burglary, handling stolen goods, and criminal damage. Among these, the offence receiving the most detailed treatment is theft. The current definition of theft dates back to 1968, long before the time when it became possible to hold and transfer money and other items (such as photographs) electronically, and the courts have sought to interpret the law in such a way that it can meet this challenge. But, in seeking to modernize the law’s approach to new forms of property holding and transfer, has the definition become too wide?
Chapter
13. Other property offences
Each Concentrate revision guide is packed with essential information, key cases, revision tips, exam Q&As, and more. Concentrates show you what to expect in a law exam, what examiners are looking for, and how to achieve extra marks. This chapter examines six offences: criminal damage, robbery, burglary, handling stolen goods, making off without payment, and squatting. What the offences share is that they relate in some way to property. Although rarely examined on their own, these topics are often assessed as part of bigger questions, sometimes incorporating other offences (eg theft, assault) and sometimes involving aspects of the general defences too.
Book
Ian Edwards and Michael Allen
Course-focused and comprehensive, the Textbook on series provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. Textbook on Criminal Law has been providing students of criminal law with a readable and reliable introduction to the subject for the past 30 years. This is the seventeenth edition, which has been updated to include all of the latest case law and statutory changes. Topics covered include actus reus, mens rea, negligence, and strict liability, and capacity and incapacitating conditions. It also examines general defences, parties to crime, inchoate offences, and homicide. Towards the end of the book chapters consider non-fatal offences, sexual offences, offences under the Theft Acts 1968 and 1978, fraud, and criminal damage.
Book
Jonathan Herring
This edition of Criminal Law: Text, Cases, and Materials offers an exceptional depth of analysis and a wealth of cases and materials all set within the theoretical context of criminal law. The two-part structure of each chapter in the book—the first part explaining the law as it is, the second examining the theoretical aspects—ensures that readers not only gain a secure understanding of the law itself but also acquire a fundamental appreciation of the surrounding philosophical and ethical debates. The book looks at actus reus and mens rea and at strict liability. The book also examines homicide; non-fatal non-sexual offences; sexual offences; theft, handling, and robbery; and fraud. It further analyses issues relating to burglary and blackmail, criminal damage, defences, and, finally, considers the criminal liability of corporations, inchoate offences, and complicity.
Book
Michael Allen and Ian Edwards
Course-focused and comprehensive, the Textbook on series provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. Textbook on Criminal Law has been providing students of criminal law with a readable and reliable introduction to the subject for the past 30 years. This is the sixteenth edition, which has been updated to include all of the latest case law and statutory changes. Topics covered include actus reus, mens rea, negligence and strict liability, and capacity and incapacitating conditions. It also examines general defences, parties to crime, inchoate offences, and homicide. Towards the end of the book chapters consider non-fatal offences, sexual offences, offences under the Theft Acts 1968 and 1978, fraud, and criminal damage.
Chapter
9. Theft and other property offences
This chapter deals with offences against property, a category of offences that criminalise conduct such as the dishonest taking of another’s property (eg theft, robbery), possessing stolen or criminal property (eg handling stolen goods, money laundering), and damaging another’s property (eg criminal damage, arson). Beyond such crimes, there are also a number of specific technical offences designed to protect particular property rights, such as those relating to vehicle misuse and intellectual and/or digital property. The final sections of the chapter outline potential options for legal reform and the application of property offences within problem questions. Relevant cases are highlighted throughout the chapter, with brief summaries of the main facts and judgments.
Chapter
9. Theft and other property offences
David Ormerod and John Child
This chapter deals with offences against property, a category of offences that criminalise conduct such as the dishonest taking of another’s property (e.g. theft, robbery), possessing stolen or criminal property (e.g. handling stolen goods, money laundering), and damaging another’s property (e.g. criminal damage, arson). Beyond such crimes, there are also a number of specific technical offences designed to protect particular property rights, such as those relating to vehicle misuse and intellectual and/or digital property. The final sections of the chapter outline potential options for legal reform and the application of property offences within problem questions. Relevant cases are highlighted throughout the chapter, with brief summaries of the main facts and judgments.
Chapter
27. Offences of damage to property
David Ormerod and Karl Laird
The principal offences of damage to property are governed by the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Under s 1(1), a person commits an offence if he, without lawful excuse, destroys or damages any property belonging to another with the intention to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether the property will be destroyed or damaged. This chapter deals with offences of damage to property and their mens rea, along with destroying or damaging property with intent to endanger life, arson, racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage, threats to destroy or damage property, possession offences, kindred offences and mode of trial and sentence for those guilty of offences of damage to property.
Chapter
11. Property offences 2: fraud and other property offences
This chapter examines property offences focusing on fraud, making off without payment, blackmail, and criminal damage. It explains the key provisions of the Fraud Act 2006 for different types of fraud, including fraud by false representation, fraud by failing to disclose information, fraud by abuse of position, and obtaining services dishonestly. It clarifies the difference between fraud and the previous offences of deception. The chapter then discusses burglary, aggravated burglary, criminal damage, and blackmail and identifies the types of legal defence that can be successfully employed for these offences. It also considers racially and religiously aggravated criminal damage, criminal damage endangering life, and arson.
Book
Jonathan Herring
This edition of Criminal Law: Text, Cases, and Materials offers an exceptional depth of analysis and a wealth of cases and materials all set within the theoretical context of criminal law. The two-part structure of each chapter in the book—the first part explaining the law as it is, the second examining the theoretical aspects—ensures that readers not only gain a secure understanding of the law itself but also acquire a fundamental appreciation of the surrounding philosophical and ethical debates. The book looks at actus reus and mens rea and at strict liability. The book also examines homicide; non-fatal non-sexual offences; sexual offences; theft, handling, and robbery; and fraud. It further analyses issues relating to burglary and blackmail, criminal damage, defences, and, finally, considers the criminal liability of corporations, inchoate offences, and complicity.
Chapter
27. Offences of damage to property
The principal offences of damage to property are governed by the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Under s 1(1), a person commits an offence if they, without lawful excuse, destroy or damage any property belonging to another with the intention to destroy or damage such property, or being reckless as to whether the property will be destroyed or damaged. This chapter deals with offences of damage to property and their mens rea, along with destroying or damaging property with intent to endanger life, arson, racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage, threats to destroy or damage property, possession offences, kindred offences, and mode of trial and sentence for those guilty of offences of damage to property. The recent case law on protest through criminal damage, along with the relevance of proportionality under the European Convention on Human Rights, is also examined.