R v ALJ No. Sccrm-00-164

The appellant, ALJ, was found guilty by a jury of an offence of gross indecency and an offence of indecent assault. The appellant appealed against the conviction. The Court of Criminal Appeal was required to decide whether the trial judge's directions to the jury on reasonable doubt and the burden of proof were correct, whether the trial judge adequately put the defence case to the jury, and whether the trial judge correctly exercised her discretion under s 34I of the Evidence Act 1929.

The Court of Criminal Appeal held that the trial judge's directions on reasonable doubt did not constitute a misdirection and did not import an objective or analytical approach to the concept of reasonable doubt. The Court found that the trial judge had adequately put the defence case to the jury and that the trial judge had correctly exercised her discretion under s 34I of the Evidence Act 1929.

The Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed the appeal.