Criminal Damage Act 1971 (-)
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This document is for private study purposes only. It is likely not to reflect the law as it stands today. It may be incomplete, and some provisions are likely to have been repealed or amended, and new ones inserted.
1.
(1) A person who without lawful excuse destroys or damages any property belonging to another intending to destroy or damage any such property or being reckless as to whether any such property would be destroyed or damaged shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) A person who without lawful excuse destroys or damages any property, whether belonging to himself or another -
(a) intending to destroy or damage any property or being reckless as to whether any property would be destroyed or damaged; and
(b) intending by the destruction or damage to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would be thereby endangered;
shall be guilty of an offence.
(3) An offence committed under this section by destroying or damaging property by fire shall be charged as arson.
4
(1) a person guilty of arson under section 1 shall on conviction on indictment be liable to imprisonment for life
5
(1) (1) This section applies to any offence under section 1(1) above
(2) A person charged with an offence to which this section applies shall . . . be treated as having a lawful excuse . . .
. . .
(b) if he destroyed or damaged or threatened to destroy or damage the property in question, or in the case of a charge of an offence under Section 3 above, intended to use or cause or permit the use of something to destroy or damage it, in order to protect property belonging to himself or another or a right to an interest in property which was or which he believed to be vested in himself or another at the time of the act or acts alleged to constitute the offence he believed
(i) that the property, right or interest was in immediate need of protection, and
(ii) that the means of protection adopted or proposed to be adopted were or would be reasonable having regard to all the circumstances:
(3) For the purpose of this section it is immaterial whether a belief is justified or not if it is honestly held.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) above a right of interest in property includes any right or privilege in or over land, whether created by grant, licence or otherwise.
(5) This section shall not be construed as casting doubt on any defence recognised by law as a defence to criminal charges.