Victims to get virtual introduction to court experience

Victims and witnesses are to be given a virtual introduction to Scottish courts to help familiarise themselves with giving evidence in court.

A Scottish Government initiative to allay fears or discomfort around the process before they have to give evidence in court, the £500,000 virtual court project will allow victims to "walk through" a three-dimensional world, comprising actual videos of the court building where their case will be held. The system uses cutting-edge software to allow victims and witnesses to interact in a virtual environment that includes depictions of the people and objects they can expect to encounter.

They will be supported throughout by Victim Support Scotland ("VSS") volunteers, removing the need to travel to court prior to their hearing date – though they will continue have that option – while allowing people to familiarise themselves with what may be an unfamiliar, daunting and retraumatising environment.

The project – a collaboration involving VSS, tech provider Immersonal and CivTech, a partnership between the Scottish Government’s Digital and Economic Directorates – has delivered a working prototype for the sheriff court and High Court in Glasgow, and will be rolled out more widely over the next year. VSS is working with Immersonal on the first steps towards making the experience available at all 52 criminal courts in Scotland.

Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland commented: "Victims and witnesses often tell us of the retraumatising effects caused by giving evidence in court and that it can cause as much anxiety as the crime itself. Victim Support Scotland strongly advocates for victims being able to give evidence remotely and in trauma-informed environments. 

"This virtual reality experience will provide just that and can be accessed through a headset available with the help of volunteers from Victim Support Scotland, as well as through laptops, smartphones and tablets, thereby offering more choice and access about how to prepare for court at a time and place that suits the victim."