正せい犯はん

noun

principal offense; principal offender

Legal term referring to the main crime or the person who directly commits it, as opposed to an accomplice (共犯).

See also: 共犯

• 彼かれは強ごう盗とうの正せい犯はんとして起き訴そされた。

  He was indicted as the principal offender in the robbery.

• 正せい犯はんと共きょう犯はんでは刑けいの重おもさが異ことなる。

  The severity of punishment differs between a principal offense and complicity.