Chattering with everybody in the pub last night we hit upon a real legal conundrum.
Imagine, if you will, that I'm an arsonist with a penchant for burning down garden sheds. It seems fairly clear that if I burn down a shed and get caught I'm going to prison (or maybe doing a bit of community service) for arson.
Now imagine I'm a professional shed thief who sneaks into gardens at night and takes garden sheds. Once again it is clear that if I get caught I will be charged with theft.
Finally (and this is where the confusion arises) imagine I'm the sort of guy that likes to steal sheds and then burn them. There seem to be three possible outcomes:
Which one is it? Would I be better off in the long run leaving the sheds in situ? I was thinking of putting a poll in this post and deciding the democratic way but I really don't have a clue how to do that.
Imagine, if you will, that I'm an arsonist with a penchant for burning down garden sheds. It seems fairly clear that if I burn down a shed and get caught I'm going to prison (or maybe doing a bit of community service) for arson.
Now imagine I'm a professional shed thief who sneaks into gardens at night and takes garden sheds. Once again it is clear that if I get caught I will be charged with theft.
Finally (and this is where the confusion arises) imagine I'm the sort of guy that likes to steal sheds and then burn them. There seem to be three possible outcomes:
- I'm charged with theft. After I have stolen the shed the law counts it as mine so I can burn it if I want
- I'm charged with arson. It was just polite of me to move the shed first to avoid damage to more of my victim's property
- I'm charged with both theft and arson.
Which one is it? Would I be better off in the long run leaving the sheds in situ? I was thinking of putting a poll in this post and deciding the democratic way but I really don't have a clue how to do that.
