united-kingdom speeding
Taping over a speed camera - UK
<p>Is it illegal to tape over the lens of a speed camera thus preventing it from working?</p>
<p>One would assume that this is the case but if you apply the tape in such a way that it does no damage I can't think of any law that one could be prosecuted under.</p>

<p>Yes, taping over a speed camera lens would be illegal.</p>
<p>The UK common law offense of Perverting the Course of Justice would cover (pun intended) this conduct. Common law offenses are not defined by statute (a law promulgated by Parliament or a local government authority), but instead arise from the history of law as applied by the courts.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.bestcriminaldefencebarrister.co.uk/criminal-defence-barrister-blog/2018/perverting-the-course-of-justice.aspx" rel="noreferrer">This secondary source</a> says the offense occurs when one is shown to have:</p>
<ul>
<li>acted or embarked on a course of conduct</li>
<li>which has a tendency to</li>
<li>and is intended to</li>
<li>pervert the course of public justice</li>
</ul>
<p>Other discussions of the offense can be found on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perverting_the_course_of_justice" rel="noreferrer">Wikipedia</a>, <a href="https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/legal/guidance/perverting-the-course-of-justice" rel="noreferrer">LexisNexis</a>, and many other webpages that may easily be found with a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&amp;ei=l7_8Xrn0MtST0PEPo6av0Ac&amp;q=UK+pervert+course+of+justice&amp;oq=UK+pervert+course+of+justice&amp;gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBggAEBYQHjIGCAAQFhAeOgUIABCxAzoCCAA6BQgAEIMBOggIABAWEAoQHjoFCCEQoAE6CAgAEAgQDRAeOgUIIRCrAlD0FVjZQGCjd2gBcAB4AIABpQGIAb4VkgEFMTkuMTCYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&amp;sclient=psy-ab&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj5m-qTwqzqAhXUCTQIHSPTC3oQ4dUDCAw&amp;uact=5" rel="noreferrer">Google</a> search.</p>
<p><a href="https://uk.motor1.com/news/305088/driver-jailed-using-laser-jammer/" rel="noreferrer">Here's a recent case</a> where a driver was imprisoned for three months for fitting his car with a radar jammer that prevented the car from being &quot;seen&quot; by the radar installation.</p>
<p>Thus, if the police can identify the person who made the speed camera ineffective by blocking the camera's lens, that person would be subject to criminal prosecution and punishment.</p>

<p>In addition to Davids answer, you would face charges of Criminal Damage, based on these notes from the Crown Prosecution Service:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Damage is not defined by the Act. It should be widely interpreted to include not only permanent or temporary physical harm, but also permanent or temporary impairment of value or usefulness - Morphitis v. Salmon [1990] Crim.L.R 48.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>Any alteration to the physical nature of the property concerned may amount to damage within the meaning of the section. The courts have construed the term liberally and included damage that is not permanent such as smearing mud on the walls of a police cell. Where the interference amounts to an impairment of the value or usefulness of the property to the owner, then the necessary damage is established - R v Whiteley [1991] 93 CAR 25.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/criminal-damage" rel="noreferrer">https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/criminal-damage</a></p>
<p>So permanent damage is not required - the act of applying temporary tape would almost certainly be prosecuted as criminal damage.</p>
