Abetment

Abetment refers to the act of encouraging, supporting, or assisting someone in the commission of a crime or wrongful act. It involves some level of participation, either actively or passively, that aids or incites the principal offender. Crucially, abetment does not require direct involvement in the primary act itself, but rather, a contribution to its occurrence. The abettor must know, or be reasonably expected to know, the nature and consequences of their actions, intending to facilitate the crime. Penalties for abetment often mirror those of the principal crime, reflecting the serious nature of the offense. Successfully proving abetment requires establishing a direct causal link between the abettor's actions and the commission of the crime.

Abetment meaning with examples

• During the bank robbery, the getaway driver waited outside, remaining on standby, while the others went in. His presence and preparedness helped enable the robbers to escape, making him guilty of abetment even though he didn't enter the bank. Law enforcement focused on the driver once the robbers were arrested.
• The hacker provided the malware and helped another person to distribute it to their target, and they shared steps on how to deploy the software. Although the hacker did not directly infect the computers, his actions facilitated the crime, resulting in charges of abetment in the data breach case.
• The wealthy financier, aware of the fraud being perpetrated by his firm, invested more in it and actively encouraged others to remain invested. The authorities found him guilty of abetment because he supported and profited from the illegal activity, which was then shut down.
• Knowing that someone was planning a violent attack, they supplied them with the weapons and provided a place for them to plan their attack. This act of providing tools for an attack, even without being present during the attack, constituted as abetment.