Victim Support NI Statement: Criminal Bar Association withdrawal of services from Crown Court.
Victim Support NI is extremely concerned by the withdrawal of services by members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) from legal-aided criminal cases due to be held in the Crown Courts in NI between the 6th – 31st January. We believe this withdrawal of services will have an acute impact on victims and witnesses.
While we understand that the CBA have not taken this decision lightly, we must emphasise that this withdrawal of service will have far-reaching and long-lasting consequences on a system already plagued by delays and the longest wait times in the UK for cases to reach court. Victims who have waited for many months, sometimes multiple years, for their case to be heard will now face further waits to have their day in court . The significant trauma this action may cause victims and witnesses cannot be underestimated. Victims have told us they feel like their life is ‘on hold’ while they wait; that they cannot move on with their lives until a decision is made in their case. We have seen victims drop out of the criminal justice system altogether as they simply can’t take waiting any longer. They can experience anxiety and depression which may be further exacerbated by this action and the delays in their cases.
We urge all parties to consider how this action directly impacts victims and witnesses and to take all necessary steps to bring this dispute to a timely resolution.
Victim Support NI support services are available to anyone affected by this withdrawal of service. Please contact us on 028 9024 3133 or 028 7137 0086 to speak to a member of our support team.