The law generally forbidding the prosecution from leading bad character evidence against an accused is fairly clear. The "shield" that an accused has against allegations of bad character - unless they adduce evidence of their own good character or attack the character of prosecution witnesses - is found at s 399(5) Crimes Act 1958. When …
Day: June 18, 2009
Freedom of expression triumphs over anonymity
The House of Lords yesterday delivered its decision in Attorney-General's Reference No 3 of 1999 [2009] UKHL 34.The case dealt with an application by the BBC to broadcast a programme identifying an accused person acquitted of criminal charges that might be subject to re-trial. (The UK introduced provisions a few years ago in Part 10 …
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