If you have ever played Cluedo, you will remember the aim of the game is to determine the motive, means and opportunity someone had to commit the crime. If you can prove all three, you win.
Detective work is a bit like that. The police look to determine who has the motive, means and opportunity to commit the crime they are investigating. If they believe you had those three things, they will likely charge you.
One of the most straightforward sounding defenses is to say that you did not have the opportunity to do it because you were not there. Yet, surprisingly, proving this can be challenging when up against a prosecution team who are sure you were.
Thus you need an alibi
This can be a person or people, but it does not have to be. Let’s examine what else could prove an effective alibi to show you were not there:
Anything with a time and date stamp showing you elsewhere
Where were you last Thursday at 8:45 p.m.? Maybe you can’t remember, but try looking through your receipts or card transactions. Most places that sell things or services automatically give you a receipt with the time and date on. Feel free to ask your bank or credit card company to help out with a detailed list.
Security camera footage is also time-stamped, so if you know where you were, ask if they can give you a copy of the video.
Check your browsing history
You might find things in it that jog your memory or that show you were busy scouring the internet on a particular topic rather than committing whatever crime you are accused of. The prosecution may argue that someone else could have used your computer, but showing you were online could help.
You probably told the police you were nowhere near the crime scene when they first questioned you. Getting legal help will increase your chance of convincing them or a court.