Help for witnesses
We support both adults and children at court
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Many people feel worried about going to court as a witness - regardless of whether or not they were the victim of the crime. That's why we run the Witness Service in every criminal court in England and Wales.
It helps witnesses to cope with going to court by giving them information and support. Family and friends who are attending court can get help too, as well as children. We support witnesses for both the prosecution and defence. You can read about how we helped one witness here to get a better understanding of the support we give.
The Witness Service can give you:
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someone to talk to, confidentially, about how you're feeling before a trial
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information about what to expect in court, including a chance to see the court beforehand and learn about court procedures
- a quiet place to wait before you are called to give evidence
- someone to go with you into the courtroom if you want, to help you feel more at-ease
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practical help (for example with claiming your expenses)
- easier access to people, such as court staff, who can answer specific questions about the case
- a chance to talk over the case when it has ended and to get more help or information.
Like the rest of Victim Support, the Witness Service is free and independent of the police or courts. You can contact your local Witness Service branch directly.
A few things we can't do
Although our Witness Service can help you with information about what to expect at court, help with practical arrangements and help you deal with the emotional side of giving evidence, there are some things we can't do. For example, we have to be careful not to discuss the evidence you are going to give as the court could say that we had intefered with your evidence and, in the worst case, this could cause a trial to fail. Clearly that's not in anyone's interest. We also can't give you legal advice as that's a specialist job for a legal expert.
And while our volunteers can support you throughout the trial and even sit in the courtroom with you, they can't communicate with you in any way when you're actually in the courtroom - again because of the risk of this being seen as interfering with the trial. But having someone from the Witness Service in court means that you will be able to discuss what happened and what was said, after the trial with someone who was there and knows what you've been through