Witness Charter
The Witness Charter sets out the basic standards of service you can expect from the criminal justice system in England and Wales as a witness of crime.
Key standards of care for witnesses include:
- Having a main point of contact who’ll keep you informed of the progress of the case and will either provide support or refer you to relevant support agencies.
- The ability to claim expenses for travel to and from the court, and compensation for loss of earnings incurred through attending court.
- Having a needs assessment conducted to identify any help you may need to give evidence during the investigation or in court.
- Receiving special measures if you’re considered to be a vulnerable or intimidated witness. These may include allowing you to give evidence from outside of the courtroom via video link and the removal of wigs and gowns by judges, defence and prosecution advocates. Speak to your witness ware officer, officer in the case or your support worker to see if you are eligible for special measures while giving evidence.
- Being given information, or details of where information can be found, about the court and the court process.
- To be treated with dignity and respect at all times.
