54.—(1) In any proceedings for an offence or attempted offence under any of sections 6 and 7 and sections 9 to 11 it shall not be necessary to prove an intention dishonestly to cause a loss to, or make a gain at the expense of, a particular person, and it shall be sufficient to prove that the accused did the act charged dishonestly with the intention of causing such a loss or making such a gain.

(2) Any number of persons may be charged in one indictment, with reference to the same theft, with having at different times or at the same time handled or possessed all or any of the stolen property, and the persons so charged may be tried together.

(3) Any person who—

(a) is a member of a partnership or is one of two or more beneficial owners of any property, and

(b) steals any property of or belonging to the partnership or such beneficial owners,

is liable to be dealt with, tried and punished as if he or she had not been or was not a member of the partnership or one of such beneficial owners.

(4) If on the trial of a person for stealing any property it appears that the property alleged to have been stolen at one time was taken at different times, the separate takings may, unless the trial judge directs otherwise, be tried together, to a number not exceeding 3, provided that not more than 6 months elapsed between the first and the last of the takings.

(5) Charges of stealing, handling or possessing any property or any part thereof may be included in separate counts of the same indictment and such counts may be tried together.

(6) Any person or persons charged in separate counts of the same indictment with stealing any property or any part thereof may be severally found guilty of stealing, handling or possessing the property or any part thereof.

(7) On the trial of two or more persons indicted for jointly handling or possessing any stolen property the court or jury, as the case may be, may find any of the accused guilty if satisfied that he or she handled or possessed all or any part of such property, whether or not he or she did so jointly with the other accused or any of them.