Does he now see that as leverage, rather than a further crime?
It's just not true that punishment is a deterrent to further crime.
It produced the sinister picture of further crime to come.
He knew what to expect - if his conjecture of further crime was correct.
He had reached a point of speculation, with those words "further crime."
In them, he saw the approach of further crime.
It had put him on the trail of further crime.
People were calling on the authorities to prevent further crime.
Facts were too few to point to further crime.
But it is even more important that he not be allowed to commit further crimes.