You can use reasonable force to protect yourself or others if a crime is taking place inside your home.
This means you can: protect yourself 'in the heat of the moment' - this includes using an object as a weapon. stop an intruder running off - for example by tackling them to the ground..
"A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large."Sep 30, 2019.
Section 3 Criminal Law Act 1967 (officers may use reasonable force in the circumstances to prevent crime) Common Law (an officer may use force to protect themselves or another) Human Rights Act 1998 (force must always be proportionate, legal, officers are accountable and it must have been necessary).
Section 34, The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
Section 34 allows an inference to be drawn when a suspect is silent when questioned under caution prior to charge (section 34(1)(a)).
An inference can also be drawn when a defendant is silent on charge (section 34(1)(b))..
In theory, self defence laws dictate that you could technically face jail time for killing someone under certain circumstances.
Killing someone could amount to excessive self defence, which is where more force is used than what is considered reasonable..
Section 3 applies to the prevention of crime and effecting, or assisting in, the lawful arrest of offenders and suspected offenders.
There is an obvious overlap between self-defence and section 3.
However, section 3 only applies to crime and not to civil matters.
The Law and Evidential Sufficiency
This section offers guidance of general application to all offences susceptible to the defences of: 1. self defence; 2. defence of another; 3. prevention of crime; and 4. lawful arrest and apprehension of offenders.
Self defence and the prevention of crime originates from a number of different sources.
Defence of the person is governed by the commo.
