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Vulnerable get specialist help to give evidence
VULNERABLE people across South Cheshire are being given a stronger voice to give evidence in criminal cases under a new scheme launched this month.
Specialists, called witness intermediaries, will assist children and people with mental or physical disabilities and disorders to give statements to police and evidence in court.
The intermediaries help witnesses to understand questions asked by the police or by a court.
They have specialist skills to help with communication without influencing the content of evidence.
Chairman of the Cheshire Criminal Justice Board, Peter Fahy said: "This scheme ensures vulnerable people have the same access to justice as everyone else.
"It is about encouraging vulnerable people to come forward and helping them to provide evidence about crimes they have witnessed.
"We want to help them to help us bring more criminals to justice.
"The more we empower vulnerable people to give good evidence, the more we can protect them from being targeted by criminals."
Defence teams can also apply to use intermediaries to help defence witnesses to give evidence.
Anyone who is younger than 17-years-old or whose evidence would be diminished in quality because they have a mental disorder, learning disability, physical disability or physical disorder is eligible for assistance from an intermediary.
Intermediaries assess the individual abilities and needs of the witness to determine how they communicate and their level of understanding.
Intermediaries advise the criminal justice agencies on how to best question them, to ensure witnesses can provide their best evidence.
Registered intermediaries are selected for their specialist skills and experience and include speech and language therapists, psychologists, teachers, health professionals, children's guardians and social care workers.
8:36am Sunday 11th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: angelamcmmanus, london on 3:54pm Wed 14 May 08
THIS IS FANTASTIC, BUT WE NEED MEASURES NATIONWIDE FOR PEOPLE OLDER THAN 17,SUCH AS ADULTS IN DYSFUNCTIONAL, AND ABUSIVE FAMILY SITUATIONS. ANGELA
THIS IS FANTASTIC, BUT WE NEED MEASURES NATIONWIDE FOR PEOPLE OLDER THAN 17,SUCH AS ADULTS IN DYSFUNCTIONAL, AND ABUSIVE FAMILY SITUATIONS. ANGELA
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