What is the Pre-trial Witness Support Service?
The Pre-trial Witness Support Service is provided as part of the Adult Service and is available for both prosecution and defence witnesses required to attend court to give evidence in a criminal trial.
The Pre-trial Witness Support Service will work in tandem with criminal justice partners to increase compliance with the Victim’s Code of Practice to ensure victims and witnesses are informed of their rights under the code and provided with minimum standards as per the Witness Charter; ensuring they are provided with the level of care they require throughout the court process.
How we can support you
The service will support witnesses before their attendance at court by undertaking pre-trial visits (PTVs) ensuring familiarisation with the court environment before the day of trial. This will enable witnesses to see the inside of the courtroom and see where they will be required to give evidence from.
What happens after a referral is made?
All witnesses will undergo an assessment of need to ensure they are trial ready and feel confident to give their best evidence at court; the assessment will review:
- Whether the witness is vulnerable or subject to witness intimidation
- Whether an application for special measures has been considered/granted
- Whether special court access arrangements need to be put in place
- Whether safe meeting points before court need to be arranged
- Whether support on the day of court is required
- Whether assistance with travelling to court is required
- Any barriers preventing witness attendance at court
- Whether support is needed around potential media reporting for high-profile cases
- All witnesses will have a plan for support around how their needs will be supported through the court process.
After trial completion witness needs will be re-assessed to ensure ongoing needs are supported. Post-trial, witnesses can be supported with:
- Claiming of travel and loss of earnings expenses
- Information about claiming criminal injuries compensation (CIC)
- Engagement with the Victim Contact Scheme
- Information and access to the LVWS Restorative Justice Service
- Ongoing support to cope and recover from their experience of being a victim or witness to crime
- Referral on to other support services.
Witnesses can access pre-trial and outreach support by referral through the Witness Care Unit, Citizens Advice Witness Service, through Defence Solicitors or by accessing the service independently by self-referring.
On behalf of the LVWS partnership, the service can provide pre-trial visits for children and young people and for witnesses giving evidence in a trials involving domestic abuse.
If you’d like a caseworker from Victim Support to get in touch with you about support, you can complete our online referral form.
