Witness Service Volunteer

Giving evidence in court isn’t easy for anybody.  Where do you go? What do you have to do? Do you have to sit near the person accused of burgling your house?  How long will it last?
At some time in our lives, many of us will be asked to be a witness at a court hearing and it is unlikely that many of us will know the procedure or what we are expected to do.  Witness Service Volunteers are there to help witnesses on the day or in advance of their day in court.  The volunteers are trained to answer any question people may have about appearing as a witness either for the defence or prosecution.  They can also help the victim and the victim’s family or friends who have come to the court to give their support.  The information and help offered is completely impartial.
At the Bath Magistrates’ Court, this service is provided by an arm of Victim Support Avonvale.  Sheila has been an active volunteer since it was established in 1998 having previously been involved with Victim Support.
‘It touched me personally because before I had my family, I had witnessed a crime where I worked and was a witness in court,’ Sheila remembers.  ‘It was a horrendous experience so I though if I can alleviate it for someone else, I will.’ 
To become a witness service volunteer there are initially 8 full days of training either over a 4 or 8 week period and volunteers are asked to aim to commit for a year of at least one day a fortnight.  Duties are primarily looking after witnesses on the day they come to court and talking them through all the procedures.  Witnesses for the defence and prosecution are kept separate and also away from the accused in specific witness waiting rooms.  It is important that the witness is made to feel comfortable but any support given must be impartial.  The witness service volunteer will discover if there are any learning difficulties and if reading the Oath in court could pose a problem, it can be read by someone else and the witness will repeat and agree to it. Volunteers are trained to deal with all types of trial including special measure trials where vulnerable witnesses don’t have to go into the courtroom and a video link is set up in an adjacent room.  Evidence is then given via a video link.  This is often the manner of trial preferred where children’s evidence is required.
‘Often with children, we will visit them at their home some time before the trial to introduce ourselves and go through what will happen,’ explains Sheila. ‘That way, when they arrive at the court, they will know who we are and not be so frightened.’  When a witness is informed that he is required to come to court, he can refer himself to the service beforehand if he wishes and come and see the place and learn what will be expected of him.  If he knows that he cannot be available at a particular time, or if a child witness has examinations imminently, the court will make the trial at a later date.
‘I find it very satisfying to think that I have made the experience less of an ordeal and more interesting for a witness,’ says Sheila. ‘And people are often surprised to find that we really do know the system well and don’t simply provide a cup of tea and sympathy.’       `

© Judith Cameron