oo-er !
assisting an offender- I think BuenChoco's copy of SMith and Hogan must be lacking that chapter
Where a person has committed an arrestable offence, any other person who, knowing or believing him to be guilty of the offence or of some other arrestable offence, does without lawful authority or reasonable excuse any act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution shall be guilty of an offence.
Practically speaking when the police were looking for one of my tenants I was careful to point out that I knew exactly what assisting an offender meant and I didnt know where the little blighter was.
ON the facts given I can see big evidential problems
and it sounds that the perp was acquitted - you say he destroyed and concealed evidence
however this charge does get up and run
here is Dale Cregan's gran getting time in the slammer for helping him
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/dry-cleaner-who-helped-dale-8618505