Where the Crown tenders documentary evidence as complete and reliable, it cannot subsequently suggest through cross-examination of the accused that those records are unreliable without first recalling its own witness to address the issue. A Longman direction must include both elements: (1) telling the jury why it is dangerous to convict (the evidence could not be adequately tested due to delay) and (2) directing the jury to scrutinise the evidence with great care. Merely directing the jury about the difficulty facing the defence in presenting a positive case is insufficient.
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