 In R v. <unk> ( 2005 ) , the defendant used a clean blanket to block the toilet of the police cell he was occupying , causing the water to overflow and flood his and other cells . The defence argued that clean water had flooded on to a waterproof floor , and that in the process the blanket was soaked by clean water . The blanket would have been reusable when dry . Cleaning up a wet cell floor did not constitute damage to the cell itself . The Court of Appeal noted that this argument assumed the absence of any possible contamination or infection from the lavatory itself , and held that while it is true that the effect of the appellant 's actions in relation to the blanket and the cell were both <unk> , the simple reality was that the blanket could not be used as a blanket by any other prisoner until it had been dried out and cleaned . Further , the flooded cells remained out of action until the water had been cleared . Thus , both had sustained damage , albeit temporary . 
