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The Law Commission


You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> The Law Commission >> FRAUD [2002] EWLC 276 (01 July 2002)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/other/EWLC/2002/276.html
Cite as: [2002] EWLC 276

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    The Law Commission

    (LAW COM No 276)

    FRAUD

    Report on a reference under section 3(1)(e) of the Law

    Commissions Act 1965

    Presented to the Parliament of the United Kingdom by the Lord High Chancellor

    by Command of Her Majesty

    July 2002

    Cm 5560

    The Law Commission was set up by the Law Commissions Act 1965 for the purpose of promoting the reform of the law.

    The Law Commissioners are:

    The Right Honourable Lord Justice Carnwath CVO, Chairman
    Professor Hugh Beale QC
    Mr Stuart Bridge
    Professor Martin Partington CBE
    Judge Alan Wilkie QC

    The Secretary of the Law Commission is Mr Michael Sayers and its offices are at Conquest House, 37-38 John Street, Theobalds Road, London WC1N 2BQ.

    The terms of this report were agreed on 14 June 2002.

    The text of this report is available on the Internet at:

    http://www.lawcom.gov.uk
    CONTENTS

    Part I: INTRODUCTION Part 1
    Summary of recommendations 1.6
    The structure of this report 1.10

    Part II: OUTLINE OF The Present Law
    Part II
    Conspiracy to defraud 2.1
        Conspiracy 2.2
        Dishonest intent to defraud 2.3
        The meaning of "defraud" 2.4
        Implied statutory restrictions 2.7
    The statutory offences 2.8
        Theft 2.10
            Appropriation 2.11
            Property belonging to another 2.12
            With the intention of permanently depriving the other 2.14
        The deception offences 2.17
            Deception 2.17
            Actus reus elements 2.23
        Other offences involving fraud 2.26

    Part III: DEFECTS OF THE PRESENT LAW
    Part III
    Conspiracy to defraud 3.2
        An anomalous crime 3.2
        The definition of "to defraud" 3.6
    The statutory crimes 3.10
        The need for simplification and rationalisation 3.10
        The limitations of "deception" 3.25
            Payment cards and "deceiving" merchants 3.29
            Computers and machines 3.34
            Non-disclosure and abuse of position 3.36

    Part IV: CONDUCT THAT CAN BE PROSECUTED ONLY AS CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD
    Part IV
    Conduct involving deception which is excluded from the existing deception offences 4.5
        Deception which obtains a benefit which does not count as property, services or any of the other benefits defined in the Theft Acts 4.6
        Deception which causes a loss and obtains a directly corresponding gain, where the two are not the same property (other than a transfer of funds between bank accounts) 4.11
        Deception which causes a loss and obtains a gain where the two are neither the same property nor directly correspondent 4.13
        Deception which does not obtain a gain, or cause a loss, but which prejudices another's financial interests 4.20
        Deception for a non-financial purpose 4.26
        Deception to gain a temporary benefit 4.32
        Deceptions which do not cause the obtaining of a benefit 4.33
    Conduct involving a view to gain or an intent to cause loss, but not deception 4.36
        Making a secret gain or causing a loss by abusing a position of trust or fiduciary duty 4.39
        Obtaining a service by giving false information to a machine 4.47
        "Fixing" an event on which bets have been placed 4.48
        Dishonestly failing to fulfil a contractual obligation 4.53
        Dishonestly infringing another's legal right 4.59

    Part V: THE ROLE OF DISHONESTY IN THE CRIMINAL LAW
    Part V
    The nature and meaning of dishonesty as a fault element 5.1
        Is it possible to define dishonesty? 5.2
        The Ghosh approach 5.6
        What purpose does dishonesty serve as a defining element? 5.12
    Would a general dishonesty offence be desirable? 5.20
        The arguments for a general dishonesty offence 5.23
        The arguments against a general dishonesty offence 5.25
            Legal certainty and fair warning 5.25
            Human rights 5.29
            Fair labelling 5.34
            Effect on other dishonesty offences 5.36
            Is dishonesty criminal? 5.38
            Discretion 5.39
            The role of the jury (and other fact-finders) 5.41
        Other jurisdictions 5.45
            Canada 5.45
            Hong Kong and New Zealand 5.50
            Other common law jurisdictions 5.54
            Summary 5.56
        Conclusion 5.57

    Part VI: OUR PREVIOUS PROPOSALS
    Part VI
    Consultation Paper No 155 6.2
    The discussion paper of July 2000 6.6
        A general deception offence 6.7
        The concept of deception 6.10

    Part VII: A NEW FRAUD OFFENCE
    Part VII
    A fresh approach 7.1
    What kinds of conduct should suffice? 7.14
        Misrepresentation 7.14
        Secrecy 7.18
            Non-disclosure 7.22
                Legal duty of disclosure 7.28
                Defendant trusted to disclose 7.31
            Secret abuse of position 7.35
    Consequences other than actual financial loss 7.43
        Parting with money or other property 7.44
        Not receiving money or other property 7.45
        Having one's economic interests put at risk 7.46
        Financial gain without a corresponding loss 7.47
        Non-economic prejudice 7.53
    Fraud as an inchoate offence 7.54
        Intended causation 7.56
    Our recommendation 7.58
    Possible defences 7.59
        Lawful conduct, "claim of right" and "belief in a claim of right" 7.59
        Public interest 7.73
    Mode of trial and sentence 7.78

    Part VIII: OBTAINING SERVICES DISHONESTLY
    Part VIII
    Deceiving a machine? 8.3
    A "theft-like" offence 8.7
    Services provided otherwise than on the understanding that they have been or will be paid for 8.14
    Mode of trial and sentence 8.16

    Part IX: ABOLITION OF EXISTING OFFENCES
    Part IX

    Part X: OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
    Part X

    Appendix A: FRAUD BILL WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES
    Appendix A

    Appendix B: SUMMARY OF PROPOSALS MADE PRIOR TO CONSULTATION PAPER NO 155
    Appendix B

    Appendix C: PERSONS AND ORGANISATIONS WHO COMMENTED ON CONSULTATION PAPER NO 155
    Appendix C




    ABBREVIATIONS

    In this paper we use the following abbreviations:
    Ashworth on Criminal Law: A Ashworth, Principles of Criminal Law (3rd ed 1999)
    CLRC: Criminal Law Revision Committee
    CLRC Eighth Report: Criminal Law Revision Committee, Eighth Report: Theft and Related Offences (1966) Cmnd 2977
    Consultation Paper No 150: Legislating the Criminal Code: Misuse of Trade Secrets (1997) Consultation Paper No 150
    Consultation Paper No 155: Legislating the Criminal Code: Fraud and Deception (1999) Consultation Paper No 155
    our conspiracy to defraud report: Criminal Law: Conspiracy to Defraud (1994) Law Com No 228
    DPP: Director of Public Prosecutions
    ECHR: European Convention on Human Rights
    Griew on Theft: Edward Griew, The Theft Acts (7th ed 1995)
    Hong Kong report: The Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong: Report on Creation of a Substantive Offence of Fraud (Topic 24) (July 1996)
    our informal discussion paper: Fraud and Deception: further proposals from the Criminal Law Team (July 2000) unpublished
    our money transfers report: Offences of Dishonesty: Money Transfers (1996) Law Com No 243
    Smith on Theft: J C Smith, The Law of Theft (8th ed 1997)
    Working Paper No 104: Criminal Law: Conspiracy to Defraud (1987) Working Paper No 104


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