A trial judge's comments about 'pillars of society' committing sexual crimes, made in the context of directions on evidence evaluation without being identified as comment on the facts, are likely to be treated by the jury as binding directions of law and may cause a miscarriage of justice by undermining a good character defence. A Longman warning that merely refers to a 'potential for error' rather than warning of the danger of convicting on uncorroborated evidence after extreme delay is inadequate. Where comments are so clearly damaging to the accused's case, the failure of trial counsel to take exception does not preclude reliance on the ground of appeal.
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