Your case
Once a charge has been brought the police will pass your file on to your local Witness Care Unit. There are 165 Witness Care Units across England and Wales. They ensure that victims and witnesses are kept at the centre of the Criminal Justice System. The Witness Care Unit manages the care of victims and witnesses from the point of charge through to the conclusion of a case.
The Witness Care Unit will allocate you a dedicated Witness Care Officer, who will act as your single point of contact. The Witness Care Officer will keep victims and witnesses informed of the case’s progress from the point of charging the suspect, to sentencing or acquitting the defendant. They will also let you know if you need to attend court.
Witness Care Officers will also assess each witness’s needs and provide appropriate help, such as childcare, transport or referrals to the Witness Service. Volunteers from Victim Support and Witness Service will continue to provide practical and emotional support to victims and witnesses.
Under the Code of Practice for Victims Of Crime, which came into force on 3 April 2006, the Witness Care Unit has a legal obligation to:
- tell you if you will be required to give evidence;
- tell you the dates of the court hearings;
- give you a copy of the ‘Witness in court’ leaflet or other relevant leaflet, if you are required to give evidence; and
- tell you about court results and explain any sentence given within one day of receiving the outcome from the court.