Householders and the use of force against intruders
Joint Public Statement from the Crown Prosecution Service and the
Association of Chief Police Officers
What is the purpose of this statement?
It is a rare and frightening prospect to be confronted by an intruder in your own
home. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Chief Constables are responding
to public concern over the support offered by the law and confusion about
householders defending themselves. We want a criminal justice system that reaches
fair decisions, has the confidence of law abiding citizens and encourages them
actively to support the police and prosecutors in the fight against crime.
Wherever possible you should call the police. The following summarises the position
when you are faced with an intruder in your home, and provides a brief overview of
how the police and CPS will deal with any such events.
Does the law protect me? What is 'reasonable force'?
Anyone can use reasonable force to protect themselves or others, or to carry out an
arrest or to prevent crime. You are not expected to make fine judgments over the
level of force you use in the heat of the moment. So long as you only do what you
honestly and instinctively believe is necessary in the heat of the moment, that would
be the strongest evidence of you acting lawfully and in self-defence. This is still the
case if you use something to hand as a weapon.
As a general rule, the more extreme the circumstances and the fear felt, the more
force you can lawfully use in self-defence.
What amounts to disproportionate force? I’ve heard I can use that.
The force you use must always be reasonable in the circumstances as you believe
them to be. Where you are defending yourself or others from intruders in your home
it might still be reasonable in the circumstances for you to use a degree of force that
is subsequently considered to be disproportionate, perhaps if you are acting in
extreme circumstances in the heat of the moment and don’t have a chance to think
about exactly how much force would be necessary to repel the intruder: it might
seem reasonable to you at the time but with hindsight, your actions may seem
disproportionate. The law will give you the benefit of the doubt in these
circumstances.
This only applies if you were acting in self-defence or to protect others in your home
and the force you used was disproportionate – disproportionate force to protect
property is still unlawful.
I’ve heard that I can’t use grossly disproportionate force. What
does that mean?
If your action was ‘over the top’ or a calculated action of revenge or retribution for
example, this might amount to grossly disproportionate force for which the law does
not protect you. If for example you had knocked an intruder unconscious and then
went on to kick and punch them repeatedly such an action would be more likely to be
considered grossly disproportionate.
Do I have to wait to be attacked?
No, not if you are in your own home and in fear for yourself or others. In those
circumstances the law does not require you to wait to be attacked before using
defensive force yourself.
What if the intruder dies?
If you have acted in reasonable self-defence, as described above, and the intruder
dies you will still have acted lawfully. Indeed, there are several such cases where the
householder has not been prosecuted. However, if, for example:
having knocked someone unconscious, you then decided to further hurt or kill
them to punish them; or
you knew of an intended intruder and set a trap to hurt or to kill them rather
than involve the police,
you would be acting with very excessive and gratuitous force and could be
prosecuted.
What if I chase them as they run off?
This situation is different as you are no longer acting in self-defence and so the same
degree of force may not be reasonable. However, you are still allowed to use
reasonable force to recover your property and make a citizen's arrest. You should
consider your own safety and, for example, whether the police have been called. A
rugby tackle or a single blow would probably be reasonable. Acting out of malice and
revenge with the intent of inflicting punishment through injury or death would not.
Will you believe the intruder rather than me?
The police weigh all the facts when investigating an incident. This includes the fact
that the intruder caused the situation to arise in the first place. We hope that
everyone understands that the police have a duty to investigate incidents involving a
death or injury. Things are not always as they seem. On occasions people pretend a
burglary has taken place to cover up other crimes such as a fight between drug
dealers.
How would the police and CPS handle the investigation and treat
me?
In considering these cases Chief Constables and the Director of Public Prosecutions
(Head of the CPS) are determined that they must be investigated and reviewed as
swiftly and as sympathetically as possible. In some cases, for instance where the
facts are very clear, or where less serious injuries are involved, the investigation will
be concluded very quickly, without any need for arrest. In more complicated cases,
such as where a death or serious injury occurs, more detailed enquiries will be
necessary. The police may need to conduct a forensic examination and/or obtain
your account of events.
To ensure such cases are dealt with as swiftly and sympathetically as possible, the
police and CPS will take relevant measures namely:
An experienced investigator will oversee the case; and
If it goes as far as CPS considering the evidence, the case will be prioritised
to ensure a senior lawyer makes a quick decision.
It is a fact that very few householders have ever been prosecuted for actions
resulting from the use of force against intruders.
