The essence of the offence of corruption under s.1(1) Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 was the instigation of a corrupt bargain. It was unnecessary to prove an intention on the part of the instigator that the corrupt transaction would actually involve a public official or an employee of a public body in order to establish the mens rea of the offence.

CA (Crim Div) (Kennedy LJ, Forbes J, Steel J)

28/09/2000