4/2005

CPS Dorset Annual Report: Success of 1st Witness Care Unit

27/09/2005

The Dorset Witness Care Unit supporting victims and witnesses through criminal cases dealt with 10,942 victims and witnesses in its first 5 months. This is one success outlined in CPS Dorset's annual report published today.

John Revell, Chief Crown Prosecutor said:

The opening of the Witness Care Unit in October last year has brought a major change in the way victims and witnesses are dealt with in Dorset. The unit which is a joint initiative between the CPS and the Police supports victims and witnesses in all cases where the defendant does not plead guilty at the first court hearing. It was the first County-wide unit to be established in the country.

Improved assistance and support provided to victims and witnesses over the last year have been very exciting. The work of the unit is based on the needs of individual victims and witnesses, and it recognises their position at the heart of the Criminal Justice System.

The CPS Dorset Annual Report also highlights:

• What we do: a four page pull out section focusing on reviewing cases, prosecuting cases, successful prosecutions, and Special Measure available for Witnesses;
• National Equality & Diversity award for our highly prasied Take Away Racism leaflet;
• The Power of CCTV looking at several of our prosecutions where CCTV footage has played a major part including the Bournemouth and Christchurch Tyre Slasher case;
• Successful Prosecutions: including the prosecution of Omar Benguit who was convicted of the murder of South Korean Language student Oki Shin following a highly unusual 2nd retrial;
• Performance: 82% success rate in the Magistrates Courts and 78% success rate in the Crown Court.

John Revell also said:

In order to meet the increased work required on each contested case we have re-structured our units. This has been challenging but we have been making steady progress and this will continue. All of us in CPS Dorset realise the importance of our decisions for victims and the public in Dorset and we all work extremely hard to provide a quality service. I thank all my staff for all their hard work and dedication.