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If you鈥檙e a victim of crime or a witness for the prosecution, a 鈥榳itness care officer鈥� will tell you which court to go to, and when to go there.

If you鈥檙e a witness for the defence, the defence lawyer will tell you when you have to go to court.

You鈥檒l usually be given a fixed date to go to court.

Sometimes you鈥檒l be given a 2 to 4 week period that you鈥檒l need to keep free - this is known as a 鈥榳arned period鈥� or 鈥榝loating trial鈥�. If this happens, you鈥檒l be given 1 working day鈥檚 notice before you are due to go to court.

Help getting to the court

You鈥檙e a victim or prosecution witness

Ask the witness care officer for help if you cannot easily travel to court. They might be able to provide transport.

You might be able to give evidence through a video link if you live far away from the court, or find it very difficult to get there. Ask your witness care officer if this is available.

You鈥檙e a defence witness

Speak to the defence lawyer if you need help with getting to court.

You might be able to give evidence through a video link if you live far away from the court, or find it very difficult to get there. Ask the defence lawyer if this is possible.

Help in the courtroom if you have a disability

Check which facilities are available in the court you鈥檙e going to.

If you might need extra help, speak to:

• your witness care officer, if you鈥檙e a victim or prosecution witness
• the defence lawyer, if you鈥檙e a defence witness

They should make sure you have the support you need, for example:

• ramps or access to accessible toilets
• a hearing loop
• a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter
• forms in large print
• guidance in audio or easy read formats

Translators

If you do not understand English, you can usually get someone to translate or interpret the trial for free. to arrange a translator if you鈥檙e a victim or prosecution witness.

If you鈥檙e a defence witness, ask the defence lawyer if you can get a translator.

Help preparing to give evidence

You can get help to prepare for the trial, either as a victim or as a witness.

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You can also ask to be referred to these organisations by:

• your witness care officer, if you鈥檙e a victim or prosecution witness
• the defence lawyer, if you鈥檙e a defence witness

These organisations can:

• show you around the court so you know what to expect on the day (sometimes called a pre-trial visit)
• explain the court process and who鈥檚 who in the courtroom
• come to your home or anywhere you feel safe to answer your questions

On the day of the trial, you鈥檒l be offered support from the Citizens Advice Witness Service, even if Victim Support helped you before the trial.

If you鈥檙e a victim or prosecution witness, you can to see your statement again before you go to court to refresh your memory.

You can add things to your statement if you remember them later on, but you cannot withdraw it.

You鈥檙e a victim of crime

As well as the statement you gave the police when you reported the crime, you can also make a 鈥榲ictim personal statement鈥� (sometimes known as an 鈥榠mpact statement鈥�). This can be read out in court.

You can include information about how the crime has affected you:

• physically
• mentally
• emotionally
• financially

You can also mention any worries you have about the defendant being released on bail.

When you give your victim personal statement to the police, tell them if you鈥檇 prefer to read it out in court yourself, or have someone else to do it for you.

The court will decide if your statement will be read out in part or in full.

The court may be able to take extra steps to protect you if you:

• are under 18
• have a mental or physical disability
• are afraid to give evidence
• are a victim of a sexual offence
• are a victim of other serious crimes, such as domestic violence or attempted murder

These steps are called 鈥榮pecial measures鈥� and include:

• screens, so the defendant cannot see you
• giving evidence by video link from somewhere else (the defendant will be able to see you)
• asking the public to leave the courtroom when you give evidence, if the case is about a sexual offence
• recording your evidence in front of a camera before the trial
• having someone explain the questions and help you reply to the court (an 鈥榠ntermediary鈥�)
• providing communication aids for you or others to use, such as symbols or alphabet boards
• having members of the court not wear their formal wigs and gowns to make you feel more at ease

How to get extra support

If you鈥檙e the victim or a prosecution witness, speak to your witness care officer or the .

If you鈥檙e a defence witness, speak to the defence lawyer.

The trial judge will then decide what support will be made available to you.

When you arrive at the court, you鈥檒l need to go through security. Tell the security staff who you are and that you鈥檙e a witness or victim. Someone from the Citizens Advice Witness Service will take you to a waiting area if they are available.

Waiting to give evidence

If you鈥檙e a victim or prosecution witness, there will usually be a separate room where you can wait so you do not meet the defendant or their family and friends.

If there is not a separate area, speak to court staff - they can make sure you鈥檙e safe.

You might have to wait a long time before you鈥檙e asked to go into the courtroom to give evidence. You might not even have to go in at all, for example if the defendant changes their plea to guilty.

Childcare

If you bring a child with you, make sure you also bring someone who can take care of them when you鈥檙e in the courtroom.

Help and support on the day

Someone from the Citizens Advice Witness Service will be at the court, and can:

• go with you when you give evidence
• support you on the day the verdict and sentence are decided if you鈥檙e in court
• listen to your concerns in private (but they cannot discuss details of the case)

You鈥檒l also have someone who will translate or interpret the trial if you arranged it beforehand.

Young witnesses (under 18)

Talk to the police or child witness care officer if you have concerns about your child. For example, if they鈥檒l need to take breaks or need any help giving evidence.

Read the full guidance on how to prepare your child for court and special measures that are available.

Young witnesses can get support and find out what to expect at court from:

• guidance for 5 to 11 year olds
• guidance for 12 to 17 year olds

After you give evidence

Citizens Advice have more information about what happens .

You can ask for expenses when you go to court as a:

• prosecution witness - from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
• defence witness - from the defence lawyer

Your employer does not have to pay you for your time off work.

Prosecution witnesses

You can claim for expenses from the CPS. There are limits on how much you can claim, but the CPS can pay for things like:

• or
• , like visas

After you鈥檝e been to court, .

Defence witnesses

If the court usher does not give you an expenses form, ask the court or the defence lawyer if you鈥檙e able to claim expenses for your time in court.

Get help with claiming expenses

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If you鈥檙e a prosecution witness, you can also ask:

• the court usher
• a member of CPS staff, like the prosecution lawyer or their paralegal assistant - they鈥檒l meet you when you arrive at court