Criminal Law (Home Defence) Bill 2009

Public bill · Private Member · Introduced

The Criminal Law (Home Defence) Bill 2009 would give householders greater protection when confronting someone unlawfully inside their home. Force used against an intruder would generally be presumed reasonable, unless evidence showed otherwise, and householders would normally avoid being sued for injuries caused unless their force was found unreasonable. They would not have to retreat before defending themselves, and courts or juries would consider factors such as the presence of family members, the limited time available to decide what to do and the options the householder believed were available. The protection would not apply as a defence to murder, while crimes committed inside someone’s home would normally attract a tougher sentence.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to establish a presumption that force used against an intruder is reasonable, to relieve householders of any civil liability to an intruder, to amend the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 and to provide for related matters.

Last updated 12 April 2018