Assess the following evidential issues

Description
Question
Doris has been charged with drugs offences involving intent to supply. The prosecution’s case is that Doris is a
member of a local gang – the Strand – involved in dealing drugs. The police discovered a considerable quantity
of drugs and £1000 in cash at Doris’s flat. The police’s discovery was part of a large on-going operation in the
local area into the activities of the Strand. Doris denies the charges, claiming that she did not know the drugs
were at her flat and claiming that someone else must have stashed them there.
Assess the following evidential issues:
a) The prosecution wishes to adduce evidence of Wilson, the owner of a local restaurant. During the
investigation, Wilson told the police at interview that on several occasions over the previous months, he had
purchased small quantities of cocaine from Doris for personal use. Wilson is now refusing to testify because the
Strand have threatened to burn down his restaurant.
b) The prosecution wishes to adduce evidence of texts messages they discovered on Doris’s phone in order to
establish that she is a drug dealer. The texts that Doris had received state: “Thanks for the coke. Good stuff. Be
round same time next week”; another states “Have the cash. Ur coke is good – worth the extra. Be round tonight
at 8”.
c) The prosecution wishes to adduce evidence of the fact that Doris has one previous conviction for fraud (in
2013) and burglary (in 2015), and two previous convictions for drugs offences involving possession of
marijuana with intent to supply (in 2011 and 2017).