Rape trial pre-record evidence pilot extended to Durham and London

The pilot will be extended to crown courts in Durham (pictured), Harrow, Isleworth and Wood Green

A pilot aimed at relieving the trauma for rape victims giving evidence at trials is being extended to four more crown courts.

Under the government scheme, vulnerable or intimidated witnesses can be cross-examined in pre-recorded videos rather than live in front of a jury.

Durham Crown Court and three in London are joining Leeds, Liverpool and Kingston-Upon-Thames in the pilot.

The Ministry of Justice said the right to a fair trial would be preserved.

The decision to pre-record will be made by a judge on a case-by-case basis, the ministry said, and both prosecution and defence lawyers would be present for the recording as well as the defendant.

The London courts joining the trial are Harrow, Isleworth and Wood Green.

'Traumatic experience'

A spokesman said: "The measure allows intimidated victims and witnesses of crimes such as rape and modern slavery to have their cross-examination video recorded and played during the trial.

"The recording takes place as close to the time of the offence as possible in order to help memory recall and reduce the stress of giving evidence in a courtroom setting, which many find traumatic."

Similar measures were introduced for vulnerable victims, such as children or those who have a debilitating condition, in all crown courts in England and Wales last year and have been used by more than 1,500 witnesses.

Rachel Nicholas, Victim Support's Head of Service in London, said: "For a lot of victims, survivors and witnesses, giving evidence in court is a traumatic experience.

"It's crucial that they know their rights to apply for special measures to help further reduce the stress of attending court and move on with their lives.

"Rolling out this scheme more widely is a welcome step in the right direction."