The defendants, scrap metal merchants, appealed against convictions for attemption to deal in stolen metals. The court was asked as to the mental element required for criminal attempt under section 1 of the 1981. The context here was an accusation of concealing, disguising or converting criminal property contrary to s.327(l) of the 2002 Act, under which it was necessary to establish that certain elements were suspicious.
Held: The appeals against conviction were allowed. Section 327(1) required the defendant to have known that the property was criminal property. Mere suspicion of that fact was insufficient.
Davis LJ, Blake, Lewis JJ
[2014] EWCA Crim 186, [2014] WLR(D) 81, [2014] 1 Cr App R 34, [2014] Lloyd’s Rep FC 319, (2014) 178 JP 133, [2014] 1 WLR 286
Bailii, WLRD
Criminal Attempts Act 1981 1, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 327(1)
England and Wales
Crime
Updated: 30 November 2021; Ref: scu.521484
