Abstract

This chapter focuses on Part VIII of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984, which deals with proof of previous convictions and acquittals that are admissible in evidence. It also covers provisions on confessions by the accused or a co-accused and confessions by the mentally handicapped. It also looks at miscellaneous provisions that provide the courts with the power to exclude evidence, handle competence and compellability of the accused's spouse, and the necessity to give advance notice of expert evidence. The chapter discusses Section 73 of Part VIII that provides a way of proving that a person has been convicted or acquitted of an offence in the United Kingdom or a member state. It details how Section 76 targets the admissibility of confessions made by an accused person wherein the prosecution fails to prove that the confession was obtained as a result of oppression.