Robbery

• Defined in section 8 of The Theft Act 1968
• Definition of Robbery

  A theft, completed by the threat or use of force. - R v Hale
• R v Hale


  The defendants tied up the victim after the appropriation had taken place. However, the court decided that it should be up to the jury to decide whether or not the appropriation should be held to be a continuing act and so the defendants were convicted of robbery.
• The force need only be minimal - R v Dawson and james.
• R v Dawson and James


  where the defendants pushed the victim off balance in order to steal his wallet.
• R v Clouden


  In the case of R v Clouden, the defendant wrenched a shopping basket from the defendant’s hand. They argued that since they didn’t actually touch the victim, then there was no robbery. However the court decided otherwise, saying that their actions amounted to force on the victim.
• The force used might not be directly on the victim themselves. - R v Clouden.
• • The force used must be in order to steal.
  • If the defendant knocked their victim unconscious, and then decided to take their wallet, this would not be a robbery, since there was no intention to steal at the time that they applied the force.