Samuels v Stubbs [1972] 4 SASR 200

The appellant trampled on a policeman's cap. The cap could easily be pushed back into place.

Held:

The actions did constitute damage.

Walters J:

"Damage is sufficiently wide in its meaning to embrace injury, mischief or harm done to property and in order to constitute damage it is unnecessary to establish such definite or actual damage as renders the property useless or prevents it from serving its normal function."

Back to lecture outline on criminal damage