This appeal concerns the disputed admission, at a trial of the appellant for murder of his long-term partner, effectively his wife, of the evidence of his former girlfriend, Rosie Thorne, concerning their relationship some 20 years or so earlier. In the terms of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, this evidence was admitted as bad character constituting ‘important explanatory evidence’ (section 101(1)(c)), that is to say evidence such that ‘without it, the court or jury would find it impossible or difficult properly to understand other evidence in the case’ and whose ‘value for understanding the case as a whole is substantial’
Lord Justice Rix
[2008] EWCA Crim 1156, [2009] 2 Cr App Rep 17, (2008) 172 JP 358
Bailii
England and Wales
Criminal Evidence
Updated: 15 November 2021; Ref: scu.270455