Paul Connor

TRUE OR FALSE? When force is used to commit a robbery, the force must be used at or near the scene of the theft.

FALSE. In P v DPP [2012] EWHC 1657 (Admin) it was held that snatching a cigarette from the hand of the victim was incapable of amounting to robbery.

NOVEMBER 2026 NIE (no. 82) Score an 'Exceptional' mark in Sexual Offences & Property Offences, be 'OK' in Serious Crime and 'Average' in General Principles and you'd pass any NIE that ever took place. If it worked in 81/81 previous exams, why wouldn't in work in no. 82?

TRUE OR FALSE? PITTWOOD is holding an unlit cigarette between her fingers and bringing it towards her mouth to light it when KENLIN runs past her & snatches the cigarette from the grasp of her fingers (stealing the cigarette). This is an offence of robbery.

GOOD QUESTION RE 10 'POOR PERFORMERS' A question that I often hear Chris & it's worth explaining in detail. There are two main points on the removal of the 10 MCQs (scored out of 140 rather than 150). 1. The 10 removed are those that 'performed least well' against the standard criteria used at the marking stage (not simply the hardest MCQs). One factor is difficulty (how many candidates got the MCQ wrong), but the evaluation also looks at whether the MCQ was fair, performed as expected, and provided a valid test of the syllabus. Extreme cases (where almost everyone got the MCQ wrong) get removed, as do MCQs that show poor discrimination or other flaws. Because these are the poorest-performing MCQs, the large majority of candidates got them wrong. Removing them therefore raises most people’s percentage on the remaining 140 and makes a pass more likely. The chance that a candidate who was struggling on the better-performing MCQs somehow answered a high proportion of these 10 correctly is remote — which is why the process is designed not to unfairly penalise candidates and why it works in favour of the vast majority. 2. The pass mark is 65% (91/140 for the INSP exam; 55%, 77/140 for the SGT exam). If the 10 poor performers were included and the same percentage applied, candidates would need 98/150 (83/150 in the SGT exam). Adding those poorer-performing MCQs does not make the exam easier in percentage terms; for the typical candidate it would require getting a higher proportion of a harder MCQs correct to hit 65%/55%. The College removes them precisely so the exam remains valid and does not unfairly penalise people for MCQs that did not perform acceptably. I hope that explains the situation and allays your understandable concerns?

I'VE FAILED THE INSP EXAM! The reason you feel that way is that all you can remember are the MCQs that caused you problems. You finished with 60 or so GPD questions — Complaints, UPPs, Diversity and plenty of other chapters you didn’t study much, hated, or never fully understood. Before that you had a block of E&P (Code C, Code D, Disclosure and the rest). The Crime section at the start is a dim and distant memory by the time you reach Q150. Is it any wonder you feel dreadful and think your chances are nil? 1. You can’t change the result now. Worrying won’t help. 2. You haven’t failed yet. Results aren’t out for weeks (this sitting’s results are due around 26 November). You can’t know the outcome at this stage. 3. There’s never been a 100% failure rate in the Inspector exam and there never will be. Someone has to be in the pass group — why not you? 4. If you gave it your best, that’s enough. Be proud of the work you put in. If you don’t make the grade, learn from it and go again. Have some faith in yourself. OK?

MY PREP IF I WERE TAKING THE NIE ON 17 NOV? Once I start revising: No MCQs. No mocks. I read Blackstone’s as per my Revision Plan. I listen to Julianna Mitchell audio when not reading. I focus solely on these 26 chapters. Clean, simple, effective.

NOV 2026 NIE - CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH? I tell the truth in the NIE Briefing Session for November 2026 NIE PART 2 youtu.be/EbNgPnx-bQ0?si=Ms31… via @YouTube

NOV 2026 NIE - CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH? There's loads of bullshit out there. Do this...don't do that...buy this...follow this plan...blah, blah, blah. I tell the truth in the NIE Briefing Session for November 2026 NIE PART 1 youtu.be/EXgpj3KFVcY?si=SH5V… via @YouTube

NOV 2026 NIE CANDIDATES There's no 'easy' way to pass the NIE. It's just that some ways are much harder than others. Making any of the blue chapters part of your route to success simply means your climb is so much steeper. It's up to you how you get to the top.

NOVEMBER 2026 NIE - DRIVER STANDARDS The grid and the text tell you everything you need to know. Your choice - personally, I'm dropping it!

NOVEMBER 2026 NIE - TERRORISM Based solely on the amount of MCQs asked, this wins the 'least useful' chapter award. 11 pages with no predictable pattern of questioning. The facts & stats are damning & why I'd drop it from study/revision.

NOVEMBER 2026 INSP CANDIDATES All the very best.

NOVEMBER 2026 INSP CANDIDATES One final push. The last thing you read could be the the first MCQ in the exam.

NOVEMBER 2026 INSP CANDIDATES If you’ve still got the energy for a focused hour, go for it. If you’ve decided you’ve done enough, that’s fine too. Either way, treat the rest of tonight as a deliberate pause — not the end of revision. Start again tomorrow before the exam.

NOVEMBER 2026 INSP CANDIDATES - DON'T STOP These last few hours could be vital.

NOVEMBER 2026 INSP CANDIDATES - SHORT STUFF Final day before the exam & naturally, nerves could be jangling. So I'd keep it tight and maintain my push today by concentrating on short chapters/the 'Hit for 6' list (only short entries).

NOV 2026 NIE CANDIDATES - ANONYMITY The fact that there are three 0 exams in the last 12 is irrelevant. It's one page of A4. The ROI is sky high. Ultra-high priority.

NOVEMBER 2026 INSP CANDIDATES Hit the links. This weekend I'd be thinking about my revision on three levels: Base - Revision Plan; Middle - Short Chapters; Top - Hit for 6. Depending on how much time I have, I'd choose accordingly. Do something - never nothing.