Johnson v The Queen

Criminal law – Appeal against convictions − Where appellant convicted of five counts of sexual offending against single complainant being his sister − Where counts joined − Where s 34P of Evidence Act 1929 (SA) provided for admission of discreditable conduct evidence for permissible use − Where applications to have counts one and two tried separately and to prevent Crown from leading evidence of discreditable conduct against complainant dismissed − Where Crown relied upon evidence of appellant's other alleged sexual misconduct to rebut presumption of doli incapax and to show relationship between appellant and complainant − Where verdicts on counts one and three quashed on appeal − Whether evidence of appellant's other alleged sexual misconduct admissible on trial of each remaining count − Whether joinder occasioned miscarriage of justice.

Evidence – Criminal trial − Sexual offences − Propensity evidence − Admissibility − Where Crown relied on uncharged acts as relationship or context evidence − Where evidence of one uncharged act improperly admitted − Whether miscarriage of justice.

Words and phrases – "admissibility", "context evidence", "contextual use", "discreditable conduct evidence", "effluxion of time", "impermissible use", "non-propensity use", "other alleged sexual misconduct", "permissible use", "prejudicial effect", "probative value", "relationship evidence", "uncharged act".

Evidence Act 1929 (SA) – Pt 3 Div 3, s 34P.