Rex v Steptoe: 29 Oct 1830

The defendant was found with the carcass of a stolen ram in his bed. When tasked, he said that his brother had brought it.
Held: Park J summing up said that even thought the exculpatory statement had been led by the prosecutor that was not enough to amount to exculpation: ‘You are to take what he says all together. You are not bound to take the exculpatory part as true, merely because it is given in evidence; but you will say, looking at the whole case, whether you think the prisoner’s statement consistent with the other evidence, and whether you believe that it is really true.’ Verdict: Not Guilty

Citations:

[1830] EngR 801, (1830) 4 Car and P 397, (1830) 172 ER 756 (A)

Links:

Commonlii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Criminal Evidence

Updated: 18 May 2022; Ref: scu.321681