Chen v The Queen

In *Chen v The Queen*, the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Victoria considered an appeal against a conviction for trafficking a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine. The appellant, Chen, had been found guilty by a jury and sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

The central legal issue before the Court of Appeal was whether the trial judge had erred in admitting certain evidence, specifically evidence of prior convictions and a prior finding of guilt for drug-related offences. The appellant argued that this evidence was unfairly prejudicial and should not have been admitted, as it tended to suggest a propensity on his part to commit drug offences, rather than proving an element of the current charge.

The Court of Appeal analysed the admissibility of the evidence under the principles governing the admission of evidence of prior convictions or misconduct. It considered whether the evidence was relevant to an issue in dispute in the trial, beyond merely suggesting a propensity. The Court ultimately found that the evidence was relevant to establishing the appellant's knowledge and intent in relation to the drug trafficking charge, and that the trial judge had properly directed the jury on how to consider this evidence, mitigating any unfair prejudice.

The appeal was dismissed, with the Court of Appeal upholding the conviction and sentence imposed at trial.