Silent witness
Question
I recently gave the police a statement about a crime I saw, but I'm worried about being called as a witness in court. Do I have the right to change my mind and not go?
Answer
If you decided to be a witness on your own then you do have the right to change your mind. You would then only be made to appear if you were issued a witness summons. If you refused to come to court after being summoned to a criminal case you could risk being arrested. This could then lead to a fine or even imprisonment for being in contempt of court.
If the case does go to court and you're called as a witness, you may want to talk to the Witness Service, an independent organisation that's attached to each court, and talk through your concerns.
If you're thinking of changing your mind because you're scared or are being harassed, then you should consider contacting the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), or the police officer who took your statement and talk things through with them.
Updated: 19/02/2013
Question answered by CAB
