Criminal evidence – Character of accused. The Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, heard five appeals together as they each raised the same issue, namely the extent and nature of the good character direction. The court gave guidance as to the extent and nature of the good character direction. It held that, in some respects the law had taken a wrong turn, and that the court remained bound by principles it derived from R v Vye; R v Wise; R v Stephenson([1993] 3 All ER 241) and R v Aziz ([1995] 3 All ER 149).