Robbery

Question 1

R v Robinson

Answer 1

• D was owed £7 by V’s wife.
• D argued with V who dropped a £5 note which D picked up and kept.
• ‘Steals’
• As D had a genuine belief that he had a right in law to the £5, he was not dishonest under S2(1)(a).

Question 2

Corcoran v Anderson

Answer 2

• D grabbed V’s handbag which was instantly dropped by D, who ran off empty handed.
• ‘Steals’
• D was convicted of robbery, as S1(1) of the Theft Act 1968 was completed when he grabbed the handbag.

Question 3

R v Dawson and James

Answer 3

• D1 pushed V so that V lost balance and D2 could take his wallet.
• ‘Force’ or ‘Threat of Force’
• The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction: force is an ordinary word decided by the jury.

Question 4

R v Clouden

Answer 4

• D snatched a handbag out of V’s hands.
• It was argued force was not on a person.
• ‘Force’ or ‘Threat of Force’
• Even though force was only slight, the judge was right to allow the jury to decide.

Question 5

R v Hale

Answer 5

• D1 and D2 forced their way into a house.
• D1 tied up V whilst D2 took items from upstairs.
• Timing of Force
• Theft was seen as a continuing act, even though the force to tie up V was separate to the stealing.

Question 6

R v Lockley

Answer 6

• D was challenged leaving a shop after he took a can of beer.
• D pushed the shopkeeper and ran off.
• Timing of Force
• Theft was seen as a continuing act. D appealed arguing the theft was complete when he used force.
  The Court of Appeal followed Hale and upheld the conviction.