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WITNESS AID: Blandford magistrates' court with new video link

A VIDEO link facility has been unveiled at Blandford magistrates' court to help vulnerable witnesses of crime give evidence.

The new video link, which after testing was available for the first time this month, enables witnesses of crime to give evidence without having to be in the same court building as the defendant.

It will also make it possible for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses to give their evidence from Blandford for trials that may be taking place in the east or west of Dorset, or even in courtrooms that have video link facilities across the country.

The new equipment cost £4,000 and is scheduled to be used for the first time on May 16. Kate Brown, Dorset's Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: "Witnesses play a vital role in bringing offenders to justice.

"Therefore it is crucial that we do everything we can to support witnesses through the criminal justice system.

"The video link facility at Blandford magistrates' court will allow witnesses to give evidence away from the courtroom that the defendant is in."

Witness service manager Tom Cassomini said: "One of the benefits of this video link is that it will enable trials to be dealt with sooner, which means victims and witnesses do not have to wait so long for the case to go to court.

"The video link facility means that witnesses are not subject to the danger of confronting the defendant."

Witness liaison officer Helen McDavid said: "We can now list domestic violence cases at Blandford so that witnesses can give evidence at Weymouth or Bournemouth for a trial taking place in Blandford.

"This prevents witnesses from coming face to face with defendants in the same building."

Other courtrooms in Dorset that have video link facilities include Dorchester Crown, Bournemouth Crown, Weymouth magistrates', Poole magistrates' and Bournemouth magistrates' courts.

Giving evidence via a live video link is one of a number of special measures available to vulnerable or intimidated prosecution and defence witnesses in Dorset.

All special measures have to be applied for and it is down to the judge or mag-istrates to decide if they should be used in court.

1:00pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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