Text as at 26 April 2026
This provision has not been checked by a human. The text below was read automatically from the official PDF and has not yet been verified against it, so it may differ from the provision as published — in its wording, its numbering, or where one provision ends and the next begins. For the authorised text, see legislation.vic.gov.au.

427 Alternative verdict for destroying property charges

(1)Where a person is charged with committing an offence against section 197(2) or section 197(3) and the jury are not satisfied that he is guilty of that offence but are satisfied that he is guilty of an offence against section 197(1), the jury may return as their verdict that he is not guilty of the offence charged but is guilty of the offence against section 197(1).
(2)If on the trial of a person charged with an offence against section 197A the jury are not satisfied that he or she is guilty of the offence charged but are satisfied that he or she is guilty of an offence against section 197, the jury may acquit the accused of the offence charged and find him or her guilty of whichever of the offences against section 197 they are satisfied that he or she is guilty of and he or she is liable to punishment accordingly.
S. 427(2) inserted by No. 48/1997 s. 58(2).