Report to the People
13th February 2006
Vulnerable
Witnesses
Criminals, by their very
nature, look to prey on the vulnerable. And
the legal system must not make them doubly vulnerable by making it harder for
them to get justice. Criminals
can’t be allowed to relax in the knowledge that, if they target a vulnerable
individual, their victim won’t, or can’t, give evidence against them in
court.
The
Vulnerable Witnesses Act, therefore, introduces a range of special measures to
make giving evidence easier. These
measures can include screens in court, a live CCTV link, or taking evidence
separately from the actual court proceedings, normally before they begin.
At
the moment, the new law applies to child witnesses in High Court and Sheriff
Court jury trials and Children’s Hearings court procedures.
So how well, I asked the Solicitor General in the Parliament on Thursday,
is it working?
Prosecutors,
she told me, are sending back positive reports. A detailed study of the new system’s operation is also
being carried out before its extension this spring to adults whose evidence in
jury cases is likely to be diminished because they are scared and distressed at
the prospect of giving evidence, or because they suffer from a mental disorder.
And, if all goes well, this protection will be extended to more types of
case next year.
Holyrood
has responsibilities beyond simply passing laws. We must also ensure that, in practice, they do the job -
especially with measures such as these. The legal system cannot deny justice to those who need it
most.
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