Going to court

Going to court

If your case is taken to court you will be allocated a witness care officer, from the West Mercia Police Victim and Witness Service Centre, who will guide you through the process. They are a dedicated unit that provide a direct point of contact to gain information and support from the point of charge through to case completion.

Understanding this can often feel daunting for victims and witnesses, your witness care officer will provide you with all the information you need to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible. They will talk to you about:

• Dates that you are and aren’t available to attend court, i.e. any holidays or appointments you have already got booked
• Personal requirements –such as transport, accommodation, childcare/dependents, translators
• Extra support in the courtroom – this can include screens, providing evidence via a video link or having an intermediary (someone who can explain the questions to you and help you reply to the court)

The witness care officer will refer you to Citizens Advice Witness Service if you would like additional support whilst at court. Witness Service can also provide a pre-trial visit to the court, this will help you to understand parking, access to the court, what a court room looks like, who stands where, facilities within the court, claiming expenses, etc, days/weeks before the trial starts.

If you are attending court as a victim or witness, you can access further information from the Citizens Advice Witness Service here.