A Longman warning must satisfy five requirements: (1) it must be a warning, not a mere comment, in firm and unmistakable terms; (2) it must carry the authority of the judge; (3) it must make clear the need arises from the long experience of the law; (4) it must identify the particular forensic disadvantages caused by delay; and (5) it must make plain it would be dangerous or unsafe to convict on the complainant's evidence alone unless the jury, having scrutinised the evidence with great care and paid heed to the warning, is convinced of its truth and accuracy. A warning that amounts merely to a direction to proceed carefully, or that reduces the warning to common sense practicality, is inadequate.
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