Robbery is theft made worse by force or the threat of it, and it sits among the most serious offences a solicitor will meet in criminal practice — it is tried only in the Crown Court and carries a maximum of life imprisonment. Because robbery is built on top of theft, getting it right means knowing exactly when force tips an ordinary theft into something far graver, and when it doesn't. That distinction shapes the charge, the venue and the client's exposure.
This lesson takes you through robbery one element at a time, so you can apply it to any set of facts with confidence.
- The Offence — what robbery is, where it is tried, and the four elements the prosecution must prove.
- A Completed Theft — why robbery collapses if the underlying theft is not fully made out.
- Force or Threat of Force — how much force is needed, force through property, and threats that need not actually frighten.
- Timing and Nexus — when the force must occur and why it must be used in order to steal.
- Secondary Liability and Attempts — how lookouts, participants and accomplices can share liability for robbery.