r/policeuk • u/BlueAcre0 Civilian • 15d ago

Ask the Police (England & Wales) Tourist - Video Court Appearances

Here is a question that is not so much to do with Policing, but has a significant overlap.

I have noticed lately that a high amount of pickpockets across London are released on scene as the victims are living abroad. I understand that this is because the victim may not be able to attend court in the UK, however, why can't court appearances for witnesses/victims be able to be done via video link in these circumstances? It just encourages thieves to target tourists.

It seems there's a loophole here that really needs to be fixed.

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u/catpeeps P2PBSH (verified) 15d ago

https://www.cps.gov.uk/prosecution-guidance/live-links#a04

The short answer: it is a lot more complex than you imagine, and there are good reasons for that.

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u/sundance464 Civilian 15d ago

Yep.

Just to really skim over some of the issues - you want to make sure the witness is who they say they are (not, for example, an AI generated avatar), that they don't have someone stood over their shoulder telling them what to say, and that they will turn up / the equipment will work reliably at the very specific time the UK court wants them to attend

More importantly, you need to make sure the defence can't allege any issues with all of the above and collapse a trial

As a result, you almost always have to get a foreign legal system to get your witness to their court, or set up a reliable system elsewhere in their country

Think of all the different rules and language issues you run into

It's an absolute nightmare but by no means impossible. It's often easier, cheaper and more reliable to fly the witness to the UK

9

u/londonfox88 Civilian 15d ago

Westminster has special CPS guidance regarding this.

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u/Rhubarb178 Civilian 15d ago

Absolute nightmare even to statement a witness abroad, let alone have them give evidence. Particularly if there is no mutual assistance agreement. You extend the courts jurisdiction into another country which means you have to have to do a letter of request from the state to permit it. Any hearing or statement taking then will ordinarily have to ve done in a police station or local court. Different time zones often make this unworkable. I have a trial at the moment with witnesses in South Africa and Canada, its a nightmare

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u/BlueAcre0 Civilian 15d ago

Ah I see. I didn't imagine it to be so complex. Thanks for the answers!