http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/44/section/112/enactedCriminal Justice Act 2003Crown courtsKing's Printer of Acts of Parliament2021-08-04 Part 11EvidenceChapter 1Evidence of bad characterGeneralInterpretation of Chapter 1 112 1 In this Chapter— “bad character” is to be read in accordance with section 98; “criminal proceedings” means criminal proceedings in relation to which the strict rules of evidence apply; “defendant”, in relation to criminal proceedings, means a person charged with an offence in those proceedings; and “co-defendant”, in relation to a defendant, means a person charged with an offence in the same proceedings; “important matter” means a matter of substantial importance in the context of the case as a whole; “misconduct” means the commission of an offence or other reprehensible behaviour; “offence” includes a service offence; “probative value”, and “relevant” (in relation to an item of evidence), are to be read in accordance with section 109; “prosecution evidence” means evidence which is to be (or has been) adduced by the prosecution, or which a witness is to be invited to give (or has given) in cross-examination by the prosecution; “service offence” means an offence under the Army Act 1955 (3 & 4 Eliz. 2 c. 18), the Air Force Act 1955 (3 & 4 Eliz. 2 c. 19) or the Naval Discipline Act 1957 (c. 53); “written charge” has the same meaning as in section 29 and also includes an information. 2 Where a defendant is charged with two or more offences in the same criminal proceedings, this Chapter (except section 101(3)) has effect as if each offence were charged in separate proceedings; and references to the offence with which the defendant is charged are to be read accordingly. 3 Nothing in this Chapter affects the exclusion of evidence— a under the rule in section 3 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1865 (c. 18) against a party impeaching the credit of his own witness by general evidence of bad character, b under section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (c. 23) (restriction on evidence or questions about complainant’s sexual history), or c on grounds other than the fact that it is evidence of a person’s bad character.