1. Bad character of a co-defendant
As a general rule, a defendant is not allowed to adduce evidence of bad character of a co-defendant because it is usually irrelevant. However, in some situation this may be allowed.
For example, in a trial of two defendants, A and B, for the offence of evading customs duties. Defendant A’s defence is that he did not participate in the evasion and it was B who did it on his own. Defendant A seeks to ask a prosecution witness to confirm whether the acts of evasion ceased when defendant B was sent to prison. This question is apparently problematic as it discloses to the jury that defendant B was convicted for an offence other than the offence at trial. However, the Court may allow this question on the basis that it is relevant to the issue whether defendant B was the real orchestrator of the illegal acts.