Self-defence under s 418 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) requires a significant correlation between the act constituting the offence and the threat defended against, including a sufficient physical and temporal relationship. The defence is not available where the property damaged belongs to an innocent third party with no connection to the perceived threat. The question posed by s 418 is whether the conduct was a reasonable response by way of self-defence, not whether it was a reasonable protest. Political motivation for property damage does not engage the self-defence provisions.
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