Victims who are entitled to give evidence in closed court may also read their victim impact statements in closed court
30I Victims who are entitled to give evidence in closed court may also read their victim impact statements in closed court
If the proceedings are for a prescribed sexual offence, the part of the proceedings in which the victim impact statement is read out is to be held in closed court unless—
the court directs (subject to section 30K), at the request of a party to the proceedings, that the proceedings are to be held in open court, and
the court is satisfied that—
special reasons in the interests of justice require the part of the proceedings to be held in open court, or
the victim to whom the statement relates consents to the statement being read out in open court.
The principle that proceedings for an offence should generally be open or public in nature, or that justice should be seen to be done, does not of itself constitute special reasons in the interests of justice requiring the part of the proceedings to be held in open court.
This Act’s bill:Explanatory memorandumSecond reading speech
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