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Civil Liberties and Human Rights & Criminal Law

Your Rights to defend your property.

This is perceived as one of the most unclear areas of law we have, 'what can and can't you do if a criminal enters your home?'

With most, emotion will take over with the basic human response of fight or flight, with the law receiving little consideration during the offence.

We do have laws that leave room for different understanding, the law states that you can use 'reasonable force'.

First thing

- Call the police and if you can keep yourself and your family safe, do so.

The law does allow you to defend yourself if you feel you are in danger you do not need to wait until you are attacked, and in terms of reasonable force you can do whatever you feel is necessary, if you pick up a knife and your action kills the intruder you will still have acted within the law so long as your actions were reasonable self defence.

If the intruder decides to flee the scene and you then chase them, you must be careful, one for your own safety and two that you are still within the law, as you are now not acting in self defence.

As you will expect the police will investigate any assault and unless you have acted over the top the case will be dealt with sympathetically.

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