Facts about entrapment in relation to a B.C. terrorism trial
VANCOUVER — A ruling is expected Friday into whether a British Columbia couple found guilty of plotting to blow up the provincial legislature on Canada Day three years ago were manipulated by police. Lawyers for John Nuttall and Amanda Korody have argued their clients were entrapped by the RCMP into committing the terrorist acts. Here are some facts about entrapment:
What is entrapment?
The Supreme Court of Canada says entrapment occurs when authorities coax someone to carry out a criminal offence they would otherwise have been unlikely to commit. It can happen in one of two ways. Firstly, entrapment occurs if police provide an opportunity for someone to break the law without having reasonable grounds that this person is already engaged in or likely to engage in criminal activity. Secondly, entrapment happens if police go beyond providing an opportunity for a suspect to commit a crime and actually induce them to break the law. In Canada, entrapment is an argument against criminal liability.
How does entrapment work?