Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017

Amendment of Courts Service Act 1998

33. The Courts Service Act 1998 is amended—

(a) in section 2 by the insertion of the following definition:

“ ‘victim’ has the same meaning as it has in section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017;”,

and

(b) by the insertion of the following section after section 5:

“Victims of crime

5A. In carrying out its functions under paragraphs (d) and (e) of section 5, the Service shall ensure that—

(a) in so far as is practicable, provision is made during the course of criminal proceedings which are conducted in a court building referred to in section 5(d) for the separation of an offender or an alleged offender and his or her parents, relatives and friends from a victim and his or her parents, relatives and friends such that contact between the parties may be avoided except where necessary for the purposes of the criminal proceedings concerned, and

(b) a separate waiting area for victims who are involved in criminal proceedings is provided in any building which—

(i) is built after the commencement of this section, and

(ii) at the time that it is built, is intended to be used as a court building.”.