Paul Connor

Law Lecturer/Writer for Oxford University Press.
I use X to:
Educate;
Motivate; or
Inform.
I only post about matters relating to police exams & the law.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

FREE STUDY GUIDE - NPPF SGT (October 2026) AND NPPF INSP (November 2026) EXAMS
Includes:
Advice on resources;
Study method;
Study plans (Plan A and Plan B);
A revision plan; and
The Hot List™.
Email me for your free guide:
[email protected]

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

CLAY's BMW X4 car was taken from the driveway of his house 7 months ago. This morning the police found the X4 in a lock up garage owned by LEE who was with the vehicle & admits taking it 7 months ago.
Can LEE be prosecuted for the TWOC (s. 12(1) Theft Act 1968) of the BMW X4?

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

JUNE 2026 NIE CANDIDATES
I am very sure you gave it your best shot - that is absolutely good enough.
Don't fret about what you couldn't remember or didn't know...those issues plague all candidates!
The task is to get 55.71%.
Take a well-earned rest from Sandford!

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

FOX AND ELY (AND HERE'S WHY)
Section 12(1) Theft Act 1968:
Without having the consent of the owner or other lawful authority (FOX and ELY don't have either);
he takes (moves);
a conveyance (the car);
for his own or another's use (it was used as a conveyance).
The question in this case is, 'Did the car move a person from point A to point B?'.
The answer is YES - so it was 'used as a conveyance' (it 'conveyed' ELY).
FOX took the car, enabling ELY to drive it 1 mile. So FOX took the conveyance for another's (ELY's) use as a conveyance (meaning FOX commits TWOC) and ELY took the conveyance and used it as a conveyance (it carried him 1 mile - meaning ELY commits TWOC).
The 'it was a joke so it's not TWOC' was (and still is) an error (even still surfacing in training environments from time to time).
The error centres on the premise that if it was taken 'for a joke' it WASN'T taken as 'conveyance' - but that is wrong.
The motive for TWOC (in this case 'it was a joke') is irrelevant - it was taken and used as a conveyance. Think about it - motive doesn't matter. If it did, why wouldn't the below motives equally mean the person doesn't commit TWOC if they take the car because:
'...it was Friday';
'...I was tired & didn't fancy walking to the shop';
'...the owner is sleeping with my wife'.
See 1.14.7.5 in the 2026 Blackstone's Crime Manual.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

FOX & ELY play a practical joke on their friend ASH. Standing at the rear of ASH's car, FOX pushes the car a short distance off the front drive of ASH's house in order to allow ELY to drive it away. ELY gets into the car and drives it 1 mile away.
Who, if anyone, commits TWOC?

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

@DylanRowe133123 All the very best Dylan.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

JUNE 2026 NIE CANDIDATES
You've worked hard.
You have the knowledge and ability.
Be confident that you're equipped to do the job.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

FOX & ELY play a practical joke on their friend ASH. Standing at the rear of ASH's car, FOX pushes the car a short distance off the front drive of ASH's house in order to allow ELY to drive it away. ELY gets into the car and drives it 1 mile away.
Who, if anyone, commits TWOC?

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

JUNE 2026 NIE CANDIDATES - BEFORE YOU START
Take a gentle read through these short areas in Blackstone's.
You've got the time...it will only take 7 to 8 minutes.
Look at the numbers...you WILL NOT regret it.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

JUNE 2026 NIE CANDIDATES
Time out.
Pick up the books before you take the exam tomorrow.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

JUNE 2026 NIE CANDIDATES - READ THE LITTLE BITS
Tonight, until maybe 2030/2100, read the small chapters.
You won't regret it.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

JUNE 2026 NIE - I'M IN CONTROL (MACHINE MIND)
Turn it on now and get comfortable with it.
When you're in the exam remember that any MCQ answered emotionally is likely to result in an error response and loss of control.
That cannot be allowed.
The 'Machine Mind' beats Sandford.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

PLAN B OR NOT PLAN B, THAT IS THE QUESTION
What would your advice be to colleagues taking the INSP exam in November 2026?
Do you think being selective and dropping chapters (Plan B) is best?
Or do you feel covering everything is essential?
Please do comment on your experiences.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

JUNE 2026 NIE - I'M IN CONTROL
To pass the June 2026 NIE, my entire preparation strategy has been based around smashing Sexual Offences & Property Offences while doing just enough in Serious Crime & General Principles.
So...I know that in the General Principles and Serious Crime section of the exam (I'm expecting to see around 57 MCQs) I'm going to feel bad about 50-60% of those MCQs.
This is where CONTROL is crucial.
I don't panic and implode when this happens.
Instead, I remind myself that this is exactly what SHOULD happen as a result of my preparation and that things are going exactly according to plan.
The fact is that I'm definitely going to pick up some marks in General Principles and Serious Crime - enough for me to add to the good/high quality performance scores in my super-strong subjects of Property Offences and Sexual Offences to score a total of 55.71% or a little more.
I know I'm not going to be an overall 'exceptional' but I don't care because all that matters is that I pass.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

JUNE 2026 NIE CANDIDATES - HIT THE ACCELERATOR!
For the next 3 days you have to batter the book.
READ - READ - READ.
The choice is below - make it depending on the time you have available.
You have NEVER read a chapter enough.
Working hard now will make a HUGE difference.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

INSP NOVEMBER 2026 STUDY GUIDE
Lots of emails/DMs asking about this.
I'm working on it right now.
As soon as it is ready I will post.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

@trainingacc306 Little to work with...small numbers and only a few exams. Definitely working on it.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

INSP EXAM MAY 2026 - NATIONAL PASS RATE 37%
1739 took the exam.
644 passed it.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

INSP EXAM MAY 2026 - CODE C 'SMART STUDY'?
'You can work out where the MCQs will come from with Code C'.
How did that work out in the May INSP exam then?
Is someone really going to claim previous feedback allowed accurate identification of the 5 areas questioned?

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

@Mosside3554 @newton_cas21522 Hi Matt - the officer asked for the NIE pass rates not the INSP OK?
I posted the INSP version shortly afterwards.

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

@dan_baines https://t.co/qlHRHJwIFs

[Paul Connor @checkmatetrain]

INSP EXAM - LAST 7 EXAMS PASS RATE
It has gone up, Liam — which is great — but the perspective is that this rise comes from the all-time low of 24.4% back in November 2025.
Still, I agree with you...an improvement is an improvement!

[Liam Williams @liam_italian]

@checkmatetrain I noticed the pass mark had one up when I was looking at the report earlier. Would be interested know if COP changed something or if this was purely down to candidates. Some impressive pass rates by a couple of forces as well