The objective test for miscarriage of justice due to counsel's incompetence requires assessment of whether the course taken at trial was capable of reasonable explanation by competent counsel, not an inquiry into trial counsel's actual reasoning. Where competent counsel could reasonably have decided not to call the accused as a witness — even if the actual reason for not doing so was flawed — there is no miscarriage of justice. The credibility tensions inherent in proposed defence evidence may provide a reasonable explanation for not calling the accused.
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