Robbery Flashcards
Legislation and case law
Robbery liability
Robbery Section 234(1), Crimes Act 1961
Theft
Accompanied by violence OR accompanied by threats of violence
To any person or property
Used to extort the property stolen, OR to prevent or overcome resistance to it being stolen
Aggravated Robbery liability (GBH)
Aggravated Robbery Section 235(a) Crimes Act 1961
Robs any person
At the time of, OR immediately before, OR immediately after, the robbery
Causes grievous bodily harm
To any person
Aggravated Robbery liability (two or more people)
Aggravated Robbery Section 235(b) Crimes Act 1961
- being together with any other person or persons.
- robs.
- any person.
Aggravated Robbery liability (weapon)
Aggravated Robbery Section 235(c) crimes act 1961
- being armed with any offensive weapon or instrument, OR anything appearing to be such a weapon or instrument.
- robs.
- any person.
Assault with intent to rob liability (GBH)
Assault with intent to rob Section 236(1)(a) Crimes Act 1961
With Intent to rob any person.
Causes grievous bodily harm to that person or any other person.
Assault with intent to rob liability (weapon)
Assault with intent to rob Section 236(1)(b), Crimes Act 1961
- with intent to rob any person
- being armed with any offensive weapon or instrument, OR anything appearing to be such a weapon or instrument.
- assaults that person or any other person.
Assault with intent to rob liability (people)
Assault with intent to rob. Section 236(1)(c) Crimes Act 1961
- with intent to rob any person.
- being together with any other person or persons.
- assaults that person or any other person.
Assault with intent to rob liability (minor)
Assault with intent to rob Section 236(2), Crimes Act 1961
- assaults any person
- with intent to rob that person or any other person.
Theft requires proof of
The taking of property, or using of property, or dealing with property, and
An intention to either permanently deprive an owner of the property intending to deal with the property in such a manner that it cannot be returned to an owner in the same condition.
Theft
Must be dishonestly and without claim of right.
R v Skivington (claim of right)
Theft is an element of robbery, and if the honest belief that a man has a claim of right is a defence to theft, then it negates one of the elements in the offence of robbery, without proof of which the full offence is not made.
(Claim of right)
R v Lapier
Robbery is complete the instant the property is taken, even if possession by the thief is only momentary.
(Taking)
R v Peat
As in the case of theft, the immediate return of goods by the robber does not purge the offence.
(Taking)
Using or dealing with
This requires the defendant acted contrary to the authority or consent given.
R v Cox
Possession involves two elements. The first, the physical element, is actual physical custody or control. The second, the mental element, is knowledge and intention.
(Possession)
Physical element
Actual possession - arises where the thing in question is in a person’s physical custody or control.
Potential possession - arises when the person has the potential to have the thing in question in their control.
Any property
Actual tangible property. Includes real and personal property.
Intent
An intent to commit the act and secondly the intention to get a specific result.
Deliberate act
Intent means that act or omission must be done deliberately. Cannot be involuntary or accidental.
R v Collister
Intent inferred through the circumstances.
Circumstances
Ownership
Has possession or control of the property.
Any interest in the property
The right to take possession or control of the property
R v Maihi
It is implicit in ‘accompany’ that there must be a nexus (connection or link) between the act of stealing and the threat of violence. Both must be present. However the term “does not require that the act of stealing and the threat of violence be contemporaneous”.
(Accompanied by threats of violence)
R v Mitchell
Property handed over to the thief as a result of threats previously made still in the mind of the victim
(Accompanied by threats of violence)
Peneha v Police
The actions of the defendant forcibly interfere with the personal freedom or amount to forcible powerful or violent action or motion producing a very marked or powerful effect tending to cause bodily injury or discomfort.
(Violence)