To not understand why people won't admit guilt?

[tinyme77]

Why do people, when faced with conclusive evidence of their guilt, still deny it? E.g. the guys that cut down the sycamore tree filmed themselves doing it but are still claiming that they aren't guilty. Do they think that they will get away with it?

They aren’t admitting guilt in a desperate attempt to stop even some of the hatred of the entire region that they live in. Their lives are finished in the North East.

Yes this and it is the advice they will have been given by their legal representatives - that the jury won’t be able to determine built in a ‘he said v he said’ case. They just want to get off and have no interest in taking responsibility or accountability for their actions.

Lots of people do it on a smaller scale.

I.e. my brother constantly lies about small things, like once when I was very young, we went to the chippy together for our tea when we were on a day out, and when they asked if he wanted salt and vinegar, he said no, but when we got back to the family and our Mum and Dad complained there was no salt and vinegar, he said he'd asked and had seen them put it on! Just why lie when it was obvious there wasn't any on? That was the first time but he did it constantly throughout our teen years when we were out and about.

Same with workers and tradesmen. I actually watched a tree surgeon drop a huge limb from a neighbour's tree which demolished a couple of our fence panels - I went straight out, but he denied it and said they were broken before he arrived! Just why? Luckily, I had it on webcam so I presented him with the evidence and a bill for new panels!

It's definitely because they can't admit to being wrong, and don't want to face the consequences of being wrong. They just try it on, hope for the best.

agree and they’re hated well beyond the northeast & well beyond this country!

They won’t admit guilt because they don’t understand how good it feels to tell the truth, especially when you have nothing to gain.

Good - 4 years and 3 months custodial sentence. They’ll revel in the publicity.

Sometimes it's not as simple as people just refusing to "admit guilt." In some cases, they genuinely don’t believe they’re guilty of the specific offence they’ve been charged with or they might accept that they did something, but not that it meets the legal definition of the charge.
It’s also worth remembering that many people deny guilt while they’re appealing a conviction or trying to get a lesser sentence. The legal process allows for that, and people are often advised by lawyers not to admit fault until all options are exhausted.
And then, yes, there are people who just flat-out refuse to accept responsibility, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. But for many, it’s more about nuance, legal technicalities, or trying to argue for a lesser charge not always pure denial for the sake of it.