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Can you protect your home against an intruder? The legal reality is 'a minefield'

Bill Potts Police United States

Using force to protect your property is a legal minefield. (ABC Gold Coast: Nicholas McElroy)

If there's a stranger trying to break into your house in the middle of the night, the intricacies of the law are probably the last thing on your mind.

But your actions in the moment could determine whether you are plunged into a legal minefield, says an experienced defence lawyer.

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