Son witness at Crown Court tommorrow

Janepig

Yorkie1 wrote: »

This is not an absolute position.

Although there is a limit in the rules about when applications should be made for special measures, the court can waive the time limit if there is good cause e.g. something arises on the day which could not have been foreseen and which means that a special measure would improve the quality of the witness' evidence.

(Obviously, it's too late for video recorded evidence but screens would be possible on the day).

Of course the Court has the option to be pragmatic, and these things can be asked for at the last minute - although the only time I've seen the CPS ask for special measures late in the day was due to "admin error" :cool: and were usually thrown out.

Hope everything went well for your son today Mandi.

Jx

Yorkie1

It's not just that the court has the option to be pragmatic, Janepig. The rules specifically allow for applications out of time in order to enable the witness to give their best evidence. And one of the bases for such applications is if something comes up which could not previously have been anticipated.

The OP had been told that special measures could not under any circumstances be sought at this stage. I was merely correcting that inaccurate statement of the law.

mandi

Yorkie1 wrote: »

Hope it went ok today for your son, OP.

Janepig wrote: »

Hope everything went well for your son today Mandi.

Jx

Aw Thanks Jane & Yorkie

He went to court all suited & booted this morning but wasn't called as a witness.

I obviously can't go into detail but his friend who he was a witness for very narrowly escaped a custodial sentence .

He read this thread before he left & asked me to say thanks to everyone who posted or in his words " spot on " :whistle:

So finally before the thread drops off the board can I say a huge Spot on to everyone who replied .

This was MSE at it's best :j

Mandi

ifstar

Glad he got on ok, obviously it was a pretty much wasted day although if his friend narrowly escaped a custodial sentence then I'd be having words with him about his choice of friends.