MP calls for protection for vulnerable witnesses

11:40am Thursday 14th March 2013 in News

Nicola Blackwood MP Nicola Blackwood MP

VULNERABLE witnesses in sexual exploitation cases should be allowed to give evidence in new specialist courts, Oxford West and Abingdon MP Nicola Blackwood says.

Conservative Ms Blackwood and Stockport Labour MP Ann Coffey have tabled two amendments to the Crime and Courts Bill.

They are calling for new specialist courts for very vulnerable witnesses, modelled on specialist domestic violence courts.

Ms Blackwood said: “While evidence has to be properly tested in court, I have seen first-hand the agony of a fragile young witness doing her best keep it together enough to describe, to a roomful of men in wigs, the violent sexual abuse she was subjected to for most of her childhood.

“It doesn’t have to be like that.”

Comments(7)

King Joke says...
12:49pm Thu 14 Mar 13

It won't help them if they don't get a jury trial because the Government has scrapped them.

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Disgruntled 1 2 says...
1:30pm Thu 14 Mar 13

I sent a message on 12 February to Nicola Blackwood, regarding vunerable children, and even though my message was received, a month later I have still not had a reply. The message was:-Dear Nicola Blackwood,
Could you please advise me as to whether you will be supporting Tom
Watson in his asking for the Dickens Dossier to be found and
investigated by the Home Secretary. I would like you to ask on my
behalf how that search is going and what investigations are being
carried out as to why Leon Brittan buried a report that he has since
been found to potentially be implicated in.

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Disgruntled 1 2 says...
1:31pm Thu 14 Mar 13

I sent a message on 12 February to Nicola Blackwood, regarding vunerable children, and even though my message was received, a month later I have still not had a reply. The message was:-Dear Nicola Blackwood,
Could you please advise me as to whether you will be supporting Tom
Watson in his asking for the Dickens Dossier to be found and
investigated by the Home Secretary. I would like you to ask on my
behalf how that search is going and what investigations are being
carried out as to why Leon Brittan buried a report that he has since
been found to potentially be implicated in.

Report this post »

natox78 says...
2:37pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Yea, I have written to her in a professional capacity too and heard nothing back.

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Isawyoucoming says...
4:12pm Thu 14 Mar 13

As I said before vote her out in two years

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Wallingford2 says...
4:35pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Appears Ms Blackwood likes to not comment on things after her no vote on the recent gay marriage issues.

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Man on the Green says...
12:31pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Whilst there may have been a little poetic licence in Ms Blackwood's description of the recent court hearing she witnessed ("a roomful of men in wigs") - as there are fully as many women advocates these days as men, and especially in such cases - I entirely agree with her about the need to do everything possible to ensure that the ordeal faced by vulnerable witnesses is not exacerbated by the conditions under which they are called on to give evidence. The example of DV Courts is a good one, but I do wonder sometimes whether it wouldn't be best to mainstream this, and ensure that all vulnerable witnesses (not just those involved in sexual exploitation cases) are able to benefit from the "special measures" that are intended to be available in all courts and for all witnesses.

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