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
11. Criminal Damage
This chapter discusses the law and theory on criminal damage. Criminal damage involves the defendant intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property belonging to another. The defendant will have a defence if they were acting with a lawful excuse. There is an offence of aggravated criminal damage, where damage was done with the defendant being reckless about whether people’s lives would be endangered as a result. Four criminal damage offences are found in the Criminal Damage Act 1971: basic criminal damage, arson, aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated arson. There is also an offence of racially aggravated criminal damage. The chapter also considers the Computer Misuse Act 1990, which was designed to protect information kept on computers.
Chapter
11. Criminal Damage
This chapter discusses the law and theory on criminal damage. Criminal damage involves the defendant intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property belonging to another. The defendant will have a defence if they were acting with a lawful excuse. There is an offence of aggravated criminal damage, where damage was done with the defendant being reckless about whether people’s lives would be endangered as a result. Four criminal damage offences are found in the Criminal Damage Act 1971: basic criminal damage, arson, aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated arson. There is also an offence of racially aggravated criminal damage. The chapter also considers the Computer Misuse Act 1990, which was designed to protect information kept on computers.
