Self-defence of the person is a defence governed by the common law. The defence is particularly relevant to crimes committed by force such as non-fatal offences against the person and homicides.
The defence provides a general and complete defence to a defendant who acts reasonably and in good faith to protect themselves, their family or anyone else to prevent crime. In household situations, the remit is less prescriptive in that if householders have done what they honestly and instinctively think was necessary ‘in the heat of the moment’, even if the force was disproportionate to the threat, this would be strong evidence that they have acted lawfully in self-defence.
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