Trial

This is when the Court considers whether a defendant is guilty or not guilty. The process is that the prosecution open the Trial by outlining what the charge is against the defendant and what they expect to prove during the Trial, they then call their witnesses and show their exhibits, such as CCTV evidence and they can either play the interview tape mentioned earlier, or they can read out a typed version of the interview for the Court to consider.

The Defence then call any evidence they wish to call, normally this will include the defendant giving evidence and any witnesses or exhibits they wish to rely on.

Until a witness has given evidence in Court they are not allowed to be in the Court room during the Trial.

After all the evidence is heard, the prosecution lawyer and the Defence Lawyer then sum up the evidence for the Court, and the Court then considers its verdict.

The case will be decided either by a District Judge, or a panel of three Magistrates known as the bench.


 

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