54 Crown Courts in England and Wales have now successfully implemented the provision, which enables witnesses and victims of crimes including rape and modern slavery to have their cross-examination videotaped and presented at a later time during the trial.
This is contingent upon a court application being granted.
The tape is made as soon after the incident as possible, while memories are still fresh, and it aids victims in avoiding the stress of testifying in court, which many people find upsetting.
The measure is now instantly available at the Crown Courts in Birmingham, Coventry, Derby, and Wolverhampton.
The action comes after the technology was successfully implemented across the nation for victims who were more likely to be at risk, like minors or people with diminished mental capacity; more than 2,500 witnesses have already benefited from it since August 2020.
Tom Pursglove, the minister of justice, said:
Rolling out pre-recorded evidence to every Crown Court in England and Wales is a critical component of our revamp of the entire response to rape, saving victims the anxiety of testifying during a live trial.
To guarantee that victims receive the justice they are due, we are also hiring more independent sexual violence advisors, enhancing the relationship between police and prosecutors, and introducing the Victims’ Bill.
We are beginning to see the consequences of these efforts, with rape convictions up by more than a quarter since before the pandemic, even though there is still much work to be done.
Due to this extension, 58 Crown Courts—more than two-thirds of all Crown Courts in England and Wales—now offer it to rape victims.
By the end of September, the administration intends to have it implemented nationally.
The measure also aims to uphold a defendant’s right to a fair trial, and a judge will decide whether to pre-record evidence on a case-by-case basis.
One of the government’s main commitments in the Rape Review Action Plan is the dissemination of pre-recorded evidence.
For the police, prosecutors, and courts, the plan lays out specific steps.
These include adopting a new method for conducting investigations, decreasing the number of victims quitting the process, raising the number of trials that are heard, safeguarding the public, and locking up more rapists.
The government agreed to testing specialised rape support in three courtrooms as recommended by the Joint Inspectorates of the CPS and Police and published the most recent Rape Review Progress report in June.
This would provide assistance within the court, such as Independent Sexual Violence Advisors, as well as trauma education for court personnel.
Snaresbrook Crown Court in London, Leeds Crown Court, and Newcastle Crown Court will all have these courtrooms set up.
The government has recently taken steps to improve the safety of our streets and public trust in the legal system, including the release of a draught Victims’ Bill and today’s statement.
The legislation aims to give victims’ voices more weight and holds organisations like the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) more accountable for the assistance they give.