Witness may have support person in court
49 Witness may have support person in court
A court must, in a relevant proceeding, on application by a party who intends to call a witness, order that the witness have a person (a support person) in the court close to the witness, and within the witness’s sight, while the witness gives evidence.
The court may order that a witness have more than 1 support person if it considers it is in the interests of justice.
The support person must not—
speak for the witness during the relevant proceeding; or
otherwise interfere in the proceeding.
Unless the court otherwise orders, the support person must not be, or be likely to be, a witness or party in the proceeding.
If the relevant proceeding is a trial by jury, the court must tell the jury that—
a witness having a support person in the court while giving evidence is a usual practice; and
the jury must not draw any inference against the accused person, or give the evidence more or less weight, because the support person is present.
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