Robbery

In New South Wales, it is an offence to rob a person or assault a person with intent to rob or steal any chattel, money, or valuable security from them. The offence is known as robbery or stealing from the person.

Robbery is an offence that many young people get charged with in circumstances where they do not understand the seriousness of the conduct. When a robbery offence is aggravated, it has to finalise in the district court, which shows the seriousness of the offence. If it not aggravated, the offence can be finalised in the local court.

Our criminal lawyers are experts at beating robbery offences. We keep clients out of prison by not guilty verdicts, and where our clients have decided to plead guilty we avoid crushing sentences.

THINK YOU NEED TO KNOW:

1. Robberyoffences can carry lengthy prison sentences for first offenders and re-offenders alike.
2. The maximum penalty for this charge in NSW is 14 years imprisonment. Robbery is an indictable offence.
3. For a robbery offence to be made out, the property stolen must have belonged to another person at the time it was taken. Belonging to another includes when it is in actual possession or custody of someone other than the accused. You can not steal your own property.
4. Robbery offences can be finalised in the local court unless the offence is aggravated.
5. A robbery must involve the use of violence or by putting the victim in fear.

THE LAW

WHAT IS A ROBBERY?

You will be found not guilty of the offence of Robbery if the police cannot prove beyond reasonable doubt that:

• You with the intent to steal;
• Took property;
• From the victim’s immediate control or presence;
• By the use of violence or by putting the victim in fear.

Or

• You assaulted the victim; and
• Intended to steal property from the victim or another person; and
• You used violence or put that person in fear.

HOW TO BEAT A ROBBERY CHARGE?

1. Claim of right defence: person will have a claim of right where they possess a genuine belief that they have a bona fide claim of right to certain money or property taken. If you believed you were entitled to take the property it does not matter that you did not believe you were entitled to take it in the manner you did.
2. Identification: If you deny that you were the offender, you may dispute the offence on the basis that you were not the person who police allege committed the crime.

Our Criminal Lawyers appear regularly in robbery offences. It is important to understand that the courts are extremely strict towards Robbery offences. Our experienced criminal lawyers can make the difference in being found guilty or not guilty or receiving a lenient sentence.

WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS:

When facing an affray charge, you have several options in court. These include:

• Pleading Not Guilty: Whether you are advised to plead not guilty or not, you have an inherent right to test the prosecution case by challenge the prosecution’s evidence, and fight for your acquittal. There are risks associated with this option and an experienced lawyer will always advise you these factors.
• Pleading Guilty: In some cases, you may be guilty of the charge, but the facts may be in issue. Or you may be guilty of a lesser charge and not the charge that police have laid.
• Make a s14 application: There will not be a finding of guilty should a s14 order be made. You will be diverted under the mental health act for a period of 12 months. You will avoid a criminal conviction with this option.

WHY CHOOSE A CRIMINAL LAWYER FROM CRIMINAL LAWYERS GROUP?

With offices in Sydney, Parramatta and Blacktown, our Criminal Lawyers are award-winning criminal lawyers that specialise in robbery offences. Whether it’s a traffic infringement or a serious criminal case our lawyers are here to assist in providing you specialised criminal representation.