AIBU to wonder whether I should report an accidental offence?

[AccidentalCriminal]

So I recently found out that I unknowingly and unwittingly broke the law last year.

No victim involved and I honestly and truly didn't know I'd done it.

Would you report yourself or just accept you got away with it?

A criminal conviction would destroy my career. But I also feel terrible that I've done something illegal.

WWYD?

If there is no victim, it doesn’t matter. I have no idea what crime you committed that is victimless, but makes you feel so guilty that you are thinking of reporting yourself, but…. Well, I’m sure the police won’t want the paperwork.

Accidental money laundering on behalf of a convicted fraudster? Resign and ask the people of Clacton.

If you accidentally caused vehicular manslaughter...then yes!

If you accidentally had a pack of loo roll in the bottom of your pushchair and forgot to pay.... Nope!

How can anyone possibly answer without knowing what it is! And since you didn't mention it you clearly don't want anyone to know, so pretty pointless really.

No victim? Let it go.

Until you tell us what you did no-one can judge whether your interpretation of the law is correct.

I know of few crimes where is no victim, mostly just proscriptive laws which try to limit potential victims.

If, for instance, you've walked out a supermarket with stuff you haven't paid for then and you did it accidentally then the remedy is to go back and pay for it, not turn yourself in at the local nick.

If it's a victimless crime, reporting it would be pointless

I obviously don’t know what you did
and therefore how serious it is. But, as a lawyer, I can tell you that there are a huge number of laws which most people are not aware of and break regularly.

Also most criminal offences require that you have either intention to commit the offence or are reckless in regard to it. Inadvertently walking off with loo roll in your trolley isn’t actually an offence as you didn’t intend to permanently deprive the shop of it.

If you feel really bad, do something like giving money to a charity as an act of repentance.

no if there is no victim then I would just move on… especially if it was last year and you haven’t been ‘caught’ . If you hit someone’s car and just drove away then you should probably say something but other than that it’s probably fine? What did you do OP?

Are you sure the crime is victimless?

Somewhere in the middle!!

Oh deffo report yourself then 🙄

I don't mind saying what it is, since this is anonymous. I just wanted a general feel.

I had a "totting up" driving ban. Through my ADHD lead poor organisation, I didn't know at the time and I drove throughout. I only found out when I came to renew my driving license which had expired- the form came back as I'd filled it in for an expired license not to have my licence reinstated.

That's a great idea actually!

Give something to charity, tell no one that you’ve given to charity, and your conscience will be clear.

Frankly I would ignore this, it was a mistake and you’re going to be throwing yourself under the bus for no reason. Keep quiet about it and don’t let the guilt eat you up.

Nobody suffered?

No problem.
Why on earth own up now? Give thanks to the universe that nobody has a clue what happened and move on.

Oops, someone already posted this.

It was a genuine mistake.
Give yourself a break.

I honestly wouldn’t care about this.

You have to go to court for a totting up ban- it’s not automatic. Did you get a summons?

'Let he who is without sin ...'

Let it go, OP. Do something for charity to balance the scales.

No, everything went to my previous address and they convicted me in my absence. I didn't even know I had the speeding ticket that tipped me over tbe limit.

Please don’t report yourself. It was a genuine mistake.