Common crimes
Overview
This chapter has information about some common minor offences that people may face in the criminal courts, particularly when facing criminal charges for the first time. This chapter covers shoplifting, tagging and graffiti, assault, drug offences (like possession of cannabis), and pฤua poaching and other fisheries offences.
For each of those areas, this chapter has information about:
- what the prosecution has to prove for you to be convicted
- what defences you might have to the charge
- what the possible penalties are, including what youโre likely to get for a first offence.
This chapter cites a number of New Zealand court decisions as legal authority for the law as weโve stated it. Sometimes weโve also set out the facts and outcome of particular cases as examples.
For more information about how to find these cases, see: โWhere to go for more supportโ.
For information about how the criminal courts work, see: โThe criminal courtsโ.
For information about what legal advice you can get if you canโt afford to pay a lawyer, see: โLegal aid and other legal helpโ.
For information about driving offences, see: โDriving and traffic lawโ.
