Bill will improve experience of criminal justice system for victims and witness of crime

Date published: 1 July 2026

The Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill - introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 22 June – has reached its second stage. The Minister has been outlining the Bill’s provision to support delivery of her commitment to improve victim and witness experience of the criminal justice system. 

Minister Long said: I have had the privilege of meeting directly with many victims and witnesses of crime who have shared with me their lived experiences of the criminal justice system. For too many, this has caused or added to existing trauma, and this is something I am determined to change.

I am constantly awed by the people who meet with me, often recounting some of the worst experiences of their lives, but who do so to seek change and to prevent the same experience befalling someone else. The provisions set out in this Bill are therefore informed directly by what victims and witnesses have told us. I would like to thank all those individuals for sharing their experiences, as well as all those campaigning for change, who have ever taken the time to meet with me or to contact my Department.

This Bill owes a debt of gratitude to them. It is a further step towards improving the experience of the criminal justice system for all victims and witnesses of crime, and towards ensuring their voices are heard.

The Bill has been introduced to deliver significant improvements in the support, protection and rights of victims and witnesses of crime. For example, victims of serious sexual offences will, for the first time, be entitled to have free, independent legal representation at specified pre-trial application hearings. 

For victims and witnesses of hate crime offences, experience of the court process will be improved as they will be automatically eligible for consideration of Special Measures which include giving evidence by video-link or from behind a screen. The Bill also introduces protections to stop people accused of hate crime offences from questioning witnesses directly in court.

And the legislation will establish an independent statutory Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses of Crime for Northern Ireland. They will have a clear statutory role to promote victim and witness interests and they will encourage improvements across the justice system by monitoring compliance of criminal justice agencies with the services victims are entitled to receive from them under the Victim Charter and making recommendations for change where things could be done better.

In conclusion, the Minister said: The Bill marks another step forward towards reforming our justice system to improve the experience of victims and witnesses of crime. It gives effect to my objective to create a more victim and witness centred, transparent and protective criminal justice system where victims and witnesses are supported, represented and safeguarded through the criminal justice system.