Property must be destroyed or
damaged. The jury or magistrates
decide this: ROE v KINGERLEE
Damage need only be slight and
temporary, but property must
be PHYSICALLY ALTERED,
HARMED OR IMPAIRED:
GAYFORD v CHOULER
Property can be
damaged even if
nothing is broken
It is likely to be criminal damage if it
costs money, time and/or effort to
remove: ROE v KINGERLEE /
HARDMAN V CHIEF CONSTABLE OF
AVON AND SOMERSET
CONSTABULARY
It is likely to be criminal
damage if causes the property
to be temporarily unfit for use:
FIAK
If there is no cost or effort in
cleaning up and the property can
continue to be used, ther eis
usually no offence: A (A
JUVENILE) v R
The type and purpose of
the property may be
relevant: MORPHITIS v
SALMON
Property is defined in s.10
(1) of the CRIMINAL
DAMAGE ACT 1971.
Property means
property of a tangible
nature, whether real
or personal, including
money
Property includes wild
creatures which have
been tamed or which
are ordinarily kept in
captivity, as well as any
other wild creature or
carcass in someone's
possession
Land can be damaged,
but cannot usually be
stolen
Property for criminal damage does
not include mushrooms growing wild
on any land or flowers, fruit or foliage
of a plant growing wild on any land.
Plant includes
trees and shrubs.
Intangible rights
cannot be damaged.
Property must belong to another -
defined s.10 (2) CRIMINAL DAMAGE
ACT
Having
custody or
control of it
Having in it any proprietary
right or interest
Having a
charge on it
Mens Rea
Must intend to destroy or
damage property belonging to
another
It is not enough that D
intends to do the act which
causes damage unless he
intends to do the damage
itself: PEMBLITON
D must intend to damage property
belonging to another. D will lack
the mens rea if he has the
mistaken belief that the property
belongs to him: SMITH
Could prove that D was reckless
as to destroying or damaging
property belonging to another: G
AND R
D must destroy or damage any
property belonging to another
without lawful excuse
Act defines two lawful excuses in
s.5. Where D honestly believes
that:
1. The owner would have
consented to the destruction or
damage: s.5 (2) (a).
2. Other property was at risk and in
need of immediate protection and
what he did was reasonable in all the
circumstances: s.5 (2) (b).
It does not matter if the
believe was justified or not,
provided it was honestly held:
JAGGARD v DICKINSON
For s.5 (2) (b) D must
destroy or damage property
belonging to another to
protect property he
honestly believed was in
immediate need of
protection: HUNT
In order for s.5 (2) (b) to
succeed the item that D is
trying to protect must be
property: CRESSWELL AND
CURRIE v DPP
The Act does not provide
a defence where D
believes he is acting to
protect a person from
harm: BAKER AND
WILKINS