A new ‘justice hub’ which aims to minimise trauma to vulnerable witnesses by allowing them to pre-record their evidence ahead of trial is set to open in Dundee next year.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has unveiled plans to open the innovative centre which, they say, will enhance the delivery of justice across Tayside and Fife.
The hub will serve both the High Court and Sheriff Courts in the region by providing a trauma informed evidence by commission (EBC) suite
This enables vulnerable witnesses to have their evidence and cross examination pre-recorded in advance of the trial taking place – minimising further trauma by removing the need to attend court in-person
It is hoped the hub – located in Quadrant House at Riverside Drive – will be open by summer 2024 and once operational will be the fifth bespoke EBC suite in Scotland.
‘Designed to better support victims and witnesses’
In addition to the EBC suite, the hub will also include a digitally enabled civil court room, with the self-contained evidence suite providing two additional vulnerable witness live-link rooms.
There are also plans for Victim Support Scotland, a charity which provides support to people affected by crime, to co-locate within the facility.
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Angela Constance said: “The new justice hub in Dundee has been specially designed to better support victims and witnesses through the court system.
“This includes when giving evidence to help reduce the risk of re-traumatisation.
“These premises are an important step in improving people’s experience of the criminal and civil justice courts and in achieving a modern, resilient and person-centred justice system.”
Eric McQueen, chief executive of SCTS added: “We recognise that attending court to give evidence can be a daunting and, for some people, a traumatic experience.
“The creation of the justice hub is a further step in our strive to modernise our services by ensuring the most vulnerable can have their evidence pre-recorded or can give their evidence by live link from the justice hub to the courtroom, while reducing the risk of further traumatisation as far as possible.”
Conversation