GLOSSARY
Attempt definition
What does Attempt mean?
An attempt may be prosecuted where the defendant has taken steps towards to committing an indictable offence, and those steps are more than merely preparatory to the commission of the offence.
The Criminal Attempts Act 1981 (CAA 1981), s 1 provides that a person is guilty of an attempt under a special statutory provision if, with intent to commit the relevant full offence, he does an act which is more than merely preparatory to the commission of that offence; and a person may be guilty of an attempt under a special statutory provision even though the facts are such that the commission of the relevant full offence is impossible. CAA 1981, s 3 of that Act notes that is a special regime and CAA 1981, s 6 confirms the offence of attempt at common law and any offence at common law of procuring materials for crime is abolished.
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