Tiggs

so the only case thats mentioned here is a drug dealer getting caught.....and the problem is what exactly?

Gridlock Mikey

FPMSL How unlucky is that

[Davey]

Complete load of tosh.. If you are simply writing a "story" of your exploits then its very very very unlikely that anything will come of it, if you are posting and photos videos of illigal activities there is more chance of getting collared but its VERY slim...

95% of the stuff you read on public forums is BULL**** so why would the police waste their time..

Even if the police came to visit you, its just a simple case of saying you made it up.. you'll only get in any bother if you are actually STUPID enough to incriminate yourself.

Simply saying you've commited a crime isnt enough, for example if you had say stolen something and you decided to go and fess up, if there is no evidence (other than your word) the police can't press charges. This is what stops complete nutters from being locked up for confessing to crimes they didnt commit.

scoobynutta555

I wouldnt be so sure. There was a case recently whereby a husband offloaded some points onto his wife to save his licence. He bragged about this on an internet site, this was seen, and subsequently he and his wife got done. I can't find any info on the case though.

hedgehog

In that particular case I believe that they made further confessions to police etc. However, in the press coverage of the case the camera partnerships did confess to regular and organised monitoring of internet motoring sites by themselves and police in the hope of detecting a crime.

The fact remains that posting that you did it on an internet site is the same as walking up to someone and making a confession. If there is no evidence of a crime then, clearly, it is unlikely any action will be taken. However, if there is evidence of a crime then it is likely that action will be taken and the internet posting, in a similar manner to a personal confession, would certainly given a considerable springboard from which to launch an investigation.

While such a confession is unlike to make up all of the police/CPS case against an individual this would be true of a face to face confession as well. It is likely to be enough to allow search warrants etc. to be drawn up and so could be a critical element of any such case.

Gridlock Mikey

What about if someone posts as you? My PC is set to remember who logged into Scoobynet last and I sometimes post under my other halfs user name. Totally by accident. What would happen if I posted up something incriminating, would she get done? Nah didn't think so Bugger!!

Posting is the same as confessing TCHOH!!

GC8

Hedgehog; a confession as described by you, is made directly to a person who would be called as a witness. The jury would then be able to evaluate the witness's credibility. It would be virtually impossible to establish beyond doubt that a person had actually made a post on an unsecure BBS site (and if you could the very nature of the internet affects its credibility massively)..... As you correctly stated, the gob****e BMW owner (amongst others) was prosecuted using a confession he made during a formal interview. The BMW-driving drug-dealing tosser was prosecuted using evidence found after his premises were searched; theres a massive difference between the evidence that a magistrate requires to issue a search warrant and that required to prosecute someone.

Im struggling to think of something I can 'fess up to...... In October 2005 I drove an unregistered, un-taxed and un-MOTd Subaru Impreza WRX on Norton/Greenhill Parkway in Sheffield at speeds exceeding 80mph. Lets see what South Yorkshire Police make of that.


Simon

KENSHIRO

iTrader: (2)

its more than likly the north wales police there desperate for cash so they can go out an buy brand new shinney yellow cameras

JTaylor

hedgehog

In law the court is deemed able to determine the validity of any confession, basically the law assumes that the court isn't stupid and is capable of considering the same issues we have raised in this discussion. I am not saying that a conviction may be possible based only upon an internet confession and, as we know, a conviction based solely upon any sort of confession is rare. However, we have seen examples above where the internet confession resulted in a prosecution and I would argue that it doesn't matter that such a prosecution was supported by other evidence, as will almost always be the case, what matters is that the confession was admitted as evidence under PACE, which is what I stated may happen in the first instance.

The law assumes that the court will attempt to determine the validity of a confession or communication and, currently, it seems to be the case that communications made using a computer are not considered to be unique in any respect. Both s.76 and s.78 of PACE (unreliable and improperly obtained) outline reasons why a confession, from any source and of any type, may be rejected and internet confessions would be examined in the light of this and would be rejected where deemed necessary.

With this in mind I can see no difference between making a confession in writing on the internet and making it in another way. In each case there are factors to be taken into consideration, such as the identity of the person who confessed, but none of these are unique to the internet and no part of PACE would exclude an internet confession just because it was made on the internet. Therefore I remain convinced, as do the courts to date, that a confession made on the internet is admissible as evidence under PACE providing it is not excluded by any of the sections which would apply to a communication made by any means.

Legal Eagle

Woo-hoo, this is quality legal stuff. Read this carefully all you boys and girls out there cos it would cost you a fortune to get it on the High Street from your local solicitor.

Scooby-law rules
Clementi, eat your heart out...

BuRR

I've been reading Scoobynet for years.

JTaylor

Sssshhhhh

GC8

You really are an insufferably conceited **** arent you? If my experience of solicitors is representitive, then youll struggle to achieve much beyond reaching for a legal aid form.

bluto22b

Well, I did 213mph in my home made batmobile yesterday along a clear stretch of road (it is a 30 mph limit mind and goes past a school), the speed humps didn't affect the ride at all and the speed camera didn't have a camera in it so I decided to give it some welly. What an enjoyable experience.

Oops I hope this thread isn't monitored by the police

Barney19

I really think that, despite the general opinion of police on SNET, the majority are trying to do a decent job and that resources do not allow for them to monitor this site for 'confessions' to traffic offences. I accept that the motorist is an easy target and that there are a some w*****s as with any big organisation, but there are an awful lot of internet sites to monitor and I would think that there are more deserving sites than ours for their attention.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

Although i did go kerb crawling last night in the scoob last night ,slept with 15 polish prostitutes all whilst driving at 33 in a 30 limit.

GC8

You should be ashamed; 33 in a 30 limit ffs!

StickyMicky

couldn't you just tell the copper who knocks on your door that you made the whole thing up to make yourself sound "bigger, harder, faster, better"

rossi_classicwrx

yeah that would be the most plausable argument. I think a good laugh in there face would be appropriate too!

Legal Eagle

Hmmm, sense of humour bypass there methinks. One tries to inject some lightness to a thread that was in danger of taking itself too seriously and all one gets in return is vulgar abuse. Unless, of course, a nerve has been accidentally hit. But there again, this is Scoobynet so maybe the abuse option is preferable to some.

And I'm sorry if your experience of the legal profession has not been satisfactory. As with the boys in blue and all other professions, there are good and bad among us.

JTaylor

You're a fraud surely! Legal people don't actually speak like that in real life. Legal exec I reckon with an eye on your own office

pappasmurf

Message for the Pig Scum....try harder next time and learn to drive properly.

MickWrx

And you've never arrested me mate

Stephen Pope

When someone posts on Scoobynet in the evening, they are probably just warming up their computer for an evenings p0rn surfing - I know I have - woops, is that a confession, still, they were all female, willing and probably over 18!!!

tath

Everybody who has been done for 'internet confessions', have been done because they admitted it when questioned by the police.

All the internet confession did was to bring them to the attention of the police, they were the turkeys that said "Fair cop, I really did burn that Gatso, have some fingerprints and that's my flamethrower in the boot".

scoobynutta555

That being the case, I'd still not want to come to the attention of the police and go through the hassle of being arrested etc, all on the back of blabbing on an internet forum.

JTaylor

Quite. They also have a habbit of giving people regular producers when you're on their radar (the metaphorical one).

charshaun

Legal Eagle

Jeez - some people got out of bed on the wrong side.
They say if you want to know your shortcomings, ask a Yorkshireman.
It seems that, on here, you only have to express a view and the vultures come out ready to tear you to shreds.

What is the matter with people? Is this supposed to be a friendly forum or is it simply a device for people to vent their anger and frustrations at others while hinding behind a screen and keyboard?
I, like most people, can take the banter that is thrown between friends, but to come straight out with vulgarities for no reason (at least for none that I can think of) demonstrates a woeful lack of courtesy and a lamentable lack of internet friendship.

I have seen legal opinions expressed by those who clearly know someone who has a mate who heard someone say something down the pub, and then pass this misinformation off as helpful advice to a fellow Scoobynetter. Well, it is my turn now to say a few words. Firstly, I am qualified, have been so for quite a few years, and currently practise in the criminal law. I am not going to make a habit of telling people that they will likely get three points and a £60 fine if they have been reported for speeding (with the court always considering whether a disqualification is appropriate) - I will let others do that. There are so many experts on here, I need not waste my time expressing a view.

I will enjoy the threads written by those who simply wish to share their experiences with others of a like mind. I will watch the stories unfold and the commencement of bickering between so-called (or more likely self-proclaimed) experts, bitching among themselves while trying to prove that they know more than someone else.

I will wait for PS Lewis to say a few words (usually to the point) and wait inevitably for him to be flamed and praised in equal measure.

I will also watch this thread reaches more pages than it really deserves to while all and sundry use their chance to add their thruppence worth. There will be those, of course, who will have nothing better to say than to correct others' grammar, punctuation and/or spelling.

OK then. I have had my say, and I am somewhat saddened that I feel inclined to put words to the screen to let everyone else know how I feel. Some of you may agree with my sentiments; some may not, and some may not be arsed either way. I don't care.