The justice secretary says it will spare rape victims the “additional trauma” of testifying in court.
Image source, PA MediaThe use of pre-recorded evidence from victims and witnesses of crimes such as rape has been rolled out across all crown courts in England and Wales.
The technology will be available from Monday at a final 20 courts including those in London, the South East and East of England, the Ministry of Justice said.
It marks the end of a national rollout.
Justice Secretary, Brandon Lewis, said it spared victims “testifying under the full glare of a courtroom”.
The measure has been designed to maintain a defendant’s right to a fair trial and any decision to pre-record evidence has to be made by a judge on a case-by-case basis.
The recording of evidence takes place as close to the time of the offence as possible, while memories remain fresh, and aimed to help victims avoid the stress of giving evidence at a live trial, which many find traumatic.
The final 20 crown courts in the roll out are:
- Amersham
- Aylesbury
- Basildon
- Cambridge
- Canterbury
- Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey)
- Chelmsford
- Croydon
- Guildford
- Hove Trial Centre
- Inner London Sessions House
- King’s Lynn
- Lewes
- Norwich Combined Court Centre
- Peterborough Combined Court Centre
- Reading
- Southend
- Snaresbrook
- Southwark
- Woolwich
Subject to a successful application to the court, it allows victims and witnesses of crimes such as rape and modern slavery to have their cross-examination video-recorded and played later during a trial.
The roll-out began in August 2020 and more than 3,000 witnesses have already used the technology during different trials across England and Wales.
Mr Lewis, a qualified barrister recently appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice by the new prime minister, said: “We’re overhauling the entire response to rape – boosting support for victims so that more cases come to court and more rapists are put behind bars.
“Today we have delivered on our pledge to roll out pre-recorded evidence to every crown court in England and Wales, sparing victims of this awful crime the additional trauma of testifying under the full glare of a courtroom.”
Following the national rollout to adult crown courts, the government has announced it will be now piloted for children and vulnerable adult witnesses for all offences at Leeds Youth Court in a bid to consider how it could be used more widely in trials of under 18s.
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