Evidence of previous convictions to be allowed
Britains Criminal Justice Act 2003 is being amended to allow juries to hear evidence of defendants previous convictions.
The evidence, reports The Telegraph, will be admissible in England and Wales if it is relevant to an important matter in issue. However, material in that category will not be put before a jury if the judge thinks it would have such an adverse effect on the fairness of the proceedings that the court ought not to admit it. Full report in The Telegraph