Appendix 1 - Inquiry into the Summary Offences Act 1966

Inquiry into the Summary Offences Act 1966,
Discussion Paper, May 2001

Appendix 1 - Offences Charged Under
the Summary Offences Act 1966
(for cases completed 01/07/1998 to 30/06/1999)^[**]

Section	Offence	Total Charges
4(a)	Burns rubbish in public place	0
4(b)	Leaves inflammable materials in public place	0
4(c)	Leaves open a drain/sewer, removes surface of footpath/road	0
4(d)	Flies kite/plays game in public place	0
4(e)	Obstruct road by goods	8
	Obstruct road by vehicle	12
4(f)	Awning over footpath	0
4(g)	Carries out blasting operation in or near public place WO permission	0
4(h)	Expose vehicle – sale/show/hire in street	18
4(i)	Makes cellar/door/other opening from footpath	0
4(j)	Set off fireworks without permission	19
7(a)	Place obstruction on road/footpath/waterway – likely injury/death	8
7(b)	Leaves hole/excavation/dangerous formation unguarded in/near public place	0
7(c)	Fails to keep protective cover/rail/gate/fence in good repair near lower opening/cellar in/near public place	0
7(d)	Throws offensive matter/thing/animal into a waterway/canal/other place that supplies water for human use	0
7(e)	Draws/trails a sledge/timber/other heavy material on public footpath/road damaging surface	0
7(f)	Rolls drum/barrel/cask or breaks in horse to the injury/danger of person/property	0
7(g)	Discharge arrow to cause injury/danger	1
	Discharge missile to cause injury/danger	135
	Discharge missile/stone to injure/danger	9
	Discharge stone to cause injury/danger	8
	Throw missile injure/danger/damage property	192
	Throw missile to cause injury or danger	1
	Throw stone to cause injury or danger	2
	Throw stone to injure/danger/damage property	38
8(a)	Does not control horse-drawn vehicle	0
8(b)	Drives cart/wagon/dray in or through a public place WO name and residence of owner being legible	0
8(c)	Drives a goat/dog harnessed/attached to a vehicle in or through a public place	0
8(d)	Allow beast/cattle to wander public road	5
8(e)	Permit dog to attack animal	4
	Permit dog to attack person	35
	Permit dog to worry animal	2
	Permit dog to worry person	9
8(f)	Obstructs/prevents the driving of cattle along/over/across a public road or thoroughfare	0
8(g)	Slaughters/skins beast on public road or thoroughfare	0
8(h)	Leaves a dead beast or its skin on a public road/thoroughfare	0
8(i)	Driver/guard/conductor of public vehicle delays vehicle/uses abusive/insulting language, or by reason of intoxication/other misconduct endangers safety	0
9	Injury under $500	1
	Wilfully damage, injure, trespass	16
9(1)(a)	Destroys/damages/pollutes/obstructs any aqueduct/dam/sluice/pipe/pump/waterway/pond/pool/fountain	0
9(1)(b)	Artificer/workman/journeyman/apprentice wilfully damages/spoils/destroys goods/wares/work/material in his care/charge	0
9(1)(c)	Wilful damage	2
	Wilfully damage property	1630
	Wilfully injure property	19
9(1)(d)	Neglect to leave any place after warning	1
	Refuse to leave any place after warning	1
	Wilfully trespass in a public place	42
	Wilfully trespass in any place	94
9(1)(e)	WO auth/excuse enter private place	18
	WO auth/excuse enter Scheduled public place	11
	WO express/auth wilfully enter private place	18
	WO express/auth wilfully enter public place	20
	WO lawful excuse wilfully enter private place	41
	WO lawful excuse wilfully enter public place	23
9(1)(f)	Neglect to leave place after warning	9
	Refuse to leave place after warning	10
	Refuse to leave private place after warning	5
9(1)(g)	Cause breach of peace	18
	Enter place likely cause breach of peace	6
9A	Enter computer system – no authority	59
	Gain access to computer – no authority	7
10(1)	Deface any structure without consent	11
	Post bill without consent	14
	Post other document without consent	2
	Post placard without consent	6
10(4)	Post advertisement without authority	1
11(1)	Leave fire in the open before extinguished	1
11(1)(a)	Light/use fire and destroy/damage property	4
	Light/use fire endanger property/life	2
11(1)(b)	Leave fire in open WO person in charge	3
11(2)(b)	Fail issue notice of intention to burn	1

12(1)	Cause false fire alarm to be given	5
	Wilfully give false fire alarm	37
13	Drunk and disorderly	2
	Drunk in a public place	17412
14	Drunk and disorderly in public place	189
15 (repealed)	Habitual Drunkard	1
16(a)	Behave disorderly whilst drunk - public	8
	Behave riotously whilst drunk - public	37
	Drunkard behave riotously – public place	1
16(b)	Drunk in charge of a carriage	3
17(1)(a)	Sings and obscene song/ballad in public	0
17(1)(b)	Indecent obscene display in public place	4
	Indecent/obscene exhibit in public place	1
	Indecent/obscene writing in public place	1
17(1)(c)	Use abusive words in public place	30
	Use indecent language within hearing public place	11
	Use indecent language in public place	1251
	Use indecent/obscene language in public place	22
	Use insulting words in public place	255
	Use obscene language in public place	24
	Use threatening words in public place	411
17(1)(d)	Behave in indecent manner – public place	73
	Behave in insulting manner – pubic place	10
	Behave in offensive manner – public place	1634
	Behave in riotous manner – public place	80
18A (repealed)	Loiter for prostitution in public place	1
20(1)	Refreshment house – suffer gaming	2
21	Disturbing religious worship	0
22(2)	Delays entry of police into any public place	0
23	Unlawful assault	7067
	Unlawful assault with aggravating circumstances	11
	Unlawfully beat another person	14
24(1)(a)	Aggravated assault of female	26
	Aggravated assault of male under 15	4
	Aggravated assault of person under 15	39
24(2)	Assault by kicking	961
	Assault in company	897
	Assault with instrument	175
	Assault with weapon	1252
26(1)	Convey unlawfully obtained/stolen property	7
	Possess unlawfully obtained/stolen property	111
	Possess suspected stolen goods	321
	Unlawful possession	1315
27(3)	Unlawful possession of carcass of cattle	1
30(1)	Possession of skin/carcass of stolen cattle WO lawful excuse	0
30(2)	Possession of skin/carcass of any cattle WO lawful excuse	0
30(3)	Refuses/neglects to produce the skin of any cattle at inspectors demand	0
30(4)	Destroys skin or cuts/destroys/defaces/burns a brand on skin WO satisfactory account	0
30(5)	Purchases a raw hide/skin from which a brand has been cut/burnt/destroyed/otherwise defaced	0
30(7)	Obstructs/hinders inspector or police from entering meat processing facility	0
31	Possession of property from wrecks	0
32	Offering property from wrecks for sale	0
34(1)	Retaining/disposing of property as workmen etc.	0
37(1)	Obtain goods by valueless cheque	1
38(1)	Illegally take vessel without consent	3
	Illegally use vehicle not motor car	9
	Illegally use vessel without consent	2
42(1)	Tattooing of juveniles	0
46	Destruction of homing pigeons	0
48	Entering in pursuit of homing pigeons	0
50	Use/sale of certain kinds of matches in specified localities in certain months	0
50A(5)	Ferreting on land used for primary production in fire danger period	0
52(1)	Assault police/person assisting police	1804
	Delay police	23
	Hinder police	445
	Hinder or delay police	5
	Hinder police or person assisting police	3
	Incite person to hinder police	1
	Incite person to obstruct police	1
	Obstruct police/person assisting police	54
	Resist police or person assisting police	2694
52(1A)	Beset any premises to obstruct person	7
	Beset premises to hinder person	2
52A	Harass witness	57
53(1)	Cause false report to be made to police	25
	False report to police	1
	Make false report to police	542

Source: Table CR 4.4 – Expanded Codes Disposition of Offences and Type of Penalty Imposed for Each Charged Offence, Magistrates’ Courts, Victoria, Australia, 1998-99.

Footnote
^[**]	1998-99 is the latest available data published

Scrutiny of Acts and
Regulations Committee

Last Updated 14/6/2001
�Parliament of Victoria