Where a magistrate accepts the credibility of a defendant who raises defences involving both subjective and objective elements (self-defence, provocation, honest and reasonable mistake), the magistrate's reasons must reveal, at least implicitly, findings on the objective elements; however, if only one inference is open from the evidence, implicit findings may suffice. A failure to mention good character evidence constitutes error, but will not result in a miscarriage of justice where the evidence could not bear on the live issues. A continuous assault comprising multiple blows in close temporal and spatial proximity, without separation in time or circumstance or intervening events bringing different factual or legal considerations into play, is properly charged as a single offence.
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