Director of Public Prosecutions v Lodding (No 3)

The matter before the court was an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions to obtain a ruling on the admissibility of evidence in a forthcoming criminal trial. The respondent, Lodding, objected to the evidence being admitted. The case was heard in the County Court of Victoria. The legal issues before the court were whether the evidence in question was relevant, whether it had probative value, and whether its admission would cause unfair prejudice to the respondent. The court examined the principles of relevance and probative value under the common law and statutory provisions, and considered the potential for unfair prejudice under the common law. The court found that the evidence was relevant and had probative value, and that any prejudice to the respondent was not unfair within the meaning of the common law. The court therefore ruled that the evidence was admissible. The final orders of the court were that the evidence in question would be admitted at the forthcoming trial, subject to any further objections being made at that time.