Ministry of Justice Report on review of ways to reduce distress of victims in trials of sexual violence.
Today, the MOJ published a report making the following main recommendations:
1. Defence Advocate accreditation for sexual violence trials.
2. The use of reserve jurors for the opening part of such trials to lessen the risk of proceedings being halted and disrupted.
3. The increased use of intermediaries.
4. Professional conduct rules are to be aligned with the ways that such trials are conducted by advocates.
5. Consultation to be undergone to see if Ground Rules Hearings should be undertaken in all sexual violence cases. These proposals further highlight the need for specialists to be both prosecuting and defending in all types of sexual cases.