SQE Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Preparation Guide

A key characteristic of knowledge required for an accomplice's liability is the expectation that the accomplice must foresee the eventual outcome of the principal's action. This means that the accomplice must be aware that their actions or assistance could contribute to the commission of a crime. The principle here is that accomplice liability is based on the accomplice's knowledge and intention regarding the crime being carried out. They must not only know that they are assisting in some manner but must also have a conscious awareness that their actions could lead to a specific illegal outcome.

In this context, knowledge is closely tied to the understanding that an accomplice must have the ability to foresee the possible consequences of their involvement. If they knowingly assist a principal in committing a crime, with the foresight of the outcomes that could follow, they can be held liable as an accomplice. The rule emphasizes that a mere passive or indirect involvement without this necessary knowledge does not fulfill the requirements for accomplice liability. This understanding is foundational in criminal law concerning how liability extends beyond the principal actors in a crime.