A Practical Guide to Bad Character Evidence for Criminal Practitioners

Designed to cover each stage of the process, from identifying bad character, getting it past the gateways, and directing the jury on its use, ‘A Practical Guide to Bad Character Evidence’ is your one-stop reference text when prosecuting and defending criminal trials in England and Wales. It separates the theory from the reality, providing examples and common-sense guidance on the scope and limitations of the use of bad character evidence.

Since bad character evidence pervades the trial process, sometimes in unexpected ways, it is vital that practitioners have an understanding of the up-to-date legal position and how it works in practice. Each chapter focuses on a different stage or concept, breaking down the legislative tests and distilling the key cases in a clear and structured way. Chapters contain handy sub-headings to facilitate quick lookup, and the user is guided to other relevant headings and cases that will assist. There is also an index of cases to help with ready navigation.