R v Doncaster [2008] EWCA Crim 5, (2008) 172 JP 202
The court had to consider the relationship between the “good character” direction and the admission of previous misconduct falling short of previous convictions.
HELD The judge could remind the jury that the defendant had no previous convictions and say that, in the ordinary case, where there was no evidence of bad character, a defendant of no previous convictions would have been entitled to a direction that the jury should consider that that counted in his favour on the questions of both propensity and credibility; as it was, it was for the jury to consider which counted with them more—the absence of previous convictions or the evidence of bad character; and if the former, then they should take that into account in favour of the defendant, and if the latter, then they would be entitled to take that into account against him (Lord Justice Rix at para 43).
