Evidence of possession of a weapon similar to one used in a crime may be used as a piece of circumstantial evidence of involvement in the offence, but it cannot be used as evidence of a disposition or propensity to commit the precise type of crime charged. Where a joint trial involves a direction that the whole of the evidence is cross-admissible, a miscarriage of justice affecting one co-accused may infect the case of the other, particularly where the general thrust of directions suggests the accused stand to be convicted or acquitted together. Evidence of one co-accused's post-offence conduct cannot corroborate a witness's evidence concerning another co-accused's involvement without independent material linking the two accused with respect to the relevant items.
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