Evidence of previous conviction

(1) A previous conviction may be proved in any legal proceeding whatever against any person by producing a record or extract of the conviction, and by giving proof of the identity of the person against whom the conviction is sought to be proved with the person appearing in the record or extract of conviction to have been convicted. (2) A record or extract of a conviction shall in the case of an indictable offence consist of a certificate containing the substance and effect only, omitting the formal part of the indictment and conviction, and purporting to be signed by the Registrar or other officer having the custody of the records of the court by which such conviction was made, or purporting to be signed by the deputy of such officer, and in the case of a summary conviction shall consist of a copy of the conviction purporting to be signed by any magistrate having jurisdiction over the offence in respect of which such conviction was made, or to be signed by the proper officer of the court by which the conviction was made, or by the clerk or other officer of any inferior court to which such conviction has been returned. (3) A record or extract of any conviction made in pursuance of this section shall be admissible in evidence without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the same. (4) A previous conviction in any one part of Belize may be proved against a prisoner in any other part of Belize. 8 (5) The mode of proving a previous conviction authorised by this section shall be in addition to, and not in exclusion of, any other authorised mode of proving such conviction.