Victim Personal Statement

The Home Office introduced the Victim Personal Statement Scheme in October 2001 - Home Office Circular 35/2001: Victim Personal Statements. This gives the option to all discernible victims to complete such a statement. The police will ask you whether you wish to make such a statement after you have made your witness or evidential statement. You do not need to make this statement unless you choose to, and you can decline but then make a Victim Personal Statement later on. You can also choose to update your statement if you wish to.

The Victim Personal Statement can include the following information:

• whether you would like to receive further information about the progress of the case;
  
• any concerns about bail;
  
• concerns or special needs related to being a potential witness;
  
• what compensation you are seeking, based on your financial loss; and
  
• physical or psychological injury you have suffered.
  

The Victim Personal Statement will form part of the case papers and can be disclosed to the defence if an offender is caught. This means you could be cross-examined on what you have said in this statement. Certain aspects of the Victim Personal Statement may need to be corroborated by evidence. For example, evidence of injuries, medical or psychological, may need to be supported by a medical report.

You cannot withdraw a Victim Personal Statement after you have signed it. However it is possible to make a further Victim Personal Statement which clarifies or corrects anything you said in the earlier Victim Personal Statement.

If it is in the public interest to do so, the Victim Personal Statement should be taken into account by all the criminal justice agencies who subsequently deal with your case but they are not obliged to act upon it. In relation to sentencing, the court can take into account the effect of the crime on you but cannot take account of any opinion you may have about the sentence.