Convictions and acquittalsU.K.

(1)In any proceedings the fact that a person other than the accused has been convicted of an offence by or before any court in the United Kingdom F1... or by a Service court outside the United Kingdom shall be admissible in evidence for the purpose of proving, [F2that that person committed that offence, where evidence of his having done so is admissible], whether or not any other evidence of his having committed that offence is given.

(2)In any proceedings in which by virtue of this section a person other than the accused is proved to have been convicted of an offence by or before any court in the United Kingdom F3... or by a Service court outside the United Kingdom, he shall be taken to have committed that offence unless the contrary is proved.

(3)In any proceedings where evidence is admissible of the fact that the accused has committed an offence, F4. . . , if the accused is proved to have been convicted of the offence—

(a)by or before any court in the United Kingdom F5...; or

(b)by a Service court outside the United Kingdom,

he shall be taken to have committed that offence unless the contrary is proved.

(4)Nothing in this section shall prejudice—

(a)the admissibility in evidence of any conviction which would be admissible apart from this section; or

(b)the operation of any enactment whereby a conviction or a finding of fact in any proceedings is for the purposes of any other proceedings made conclusive evidence of any fact.