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Original poster

Do Mumsnet have to report intent to break the law

134 replies

LovelyLovelyMe · 10/09/2020 10:19

If a poster openly declares an intent to break the law, are Mumsnet under an obligation to forward their details to the police?

OP posts:
SqidgeBum · 10/09/2020 11:43

I imagine this OP is talking about people saying they wont follow the 6 people rule. Maybe I am wrong but that was my assumption. Of course inciting violence is actually a crime so it can be acted on even if no violence was committed by the person who incited it. However, simply saying you will meet your 2 parents with your husband and 3 kids isnt a crime. From Monday it will be a crime to actually do it, but saying you will do it isnt a crime, so therefore my assumption would be that police cannot come knocking on your door because you said you will do it.

Not to mention I doubt even have the man power to knock on your door even if you did actually break the law and see your parents.

NewFactsEmerge · 10/09/2020 11:07

Surely police can only do something when a crime has been committed. They can't arrest or do anything to someone on the premise that they may at some point in the future commit a crime

Depends what exactly someone writes. You can be arrested for inciting violence or for conspiracy to murder without actually having done it yet, for example.

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 10/09/2020 10:49

@SqidgeBum

Surely police can only do something when a crime has been committed. They can't arrest or do anything to someone on the premise that they may at some point in the future commit a crime. If that was the case, we could all be locked up because, in the future, we may break the speed limit or we may steal something from a shop or we may have a drink and then drive.

What a bizarre concept.

If it's the thread I'm thinking about, it was the incitement by (many) others for the OP to break the law that was mentioned. I believe that is illegal without a crime being committed (but am not a lawyer!)
SqidgeBum · 10/09/2020 10:34

Surely police can only do something when a crime has been committed. They can't arrest or do anything to someone on the premise that they may at some point in the future commit a crime. If that was the case, we could all be locked up because, in the future, we may break the speed limit or we may steal something from a shop or we may have a drink and then drive.

What a bizarre concept.

Thisisnotnormal69 · 10/09/2020 10:32

Are we sure that OP (from that thread) isn’t just on the wind up....?

MNHQ
soniamumsnet · 10/09/2020 10:31

Hi @LovelyLovelyMe if you have any concerns about any posts, please hit 'report' and send it to: [email protected] and we'll be happy to take a look. Flowers

Tootletum · 10/09/2020 10:31

Well that would shut down all covid chat pretty quickly.

DioneTheDiabolist · 10/09/2020 10:29

Are you talking about the current UK government OP?

sleepyhead · 10/09/2020 10:23

What details? Hmm