Your rights during a court trial 

You have the right to be told: 

• the time, date and location of court hearings 
• the outcome of court hearings 

If you’re asked to give evidence in court, you have the right to: 

• be told what to expect at court and what support you might need 
• be given the chance to visit court before the hearing
• with notice to the court, enter through a different entrance from the defendant and sit in a separate waiting area, wherever possible 
• meet someone from the Crown Prosecution Service to ask about the court process, if possible 

If the defendant is found guilty, you have the right to: 

• read out your Victim Personal Statement yourself or have someone read it out for you in court, if appropriate 
• be told what sentence the offender has received, including a short explanation of the sentence 

You can read more about your rights as a victim or witness of crime in the Victims’ Code and the Witness Charter. 

You have a legal right in court proceedings in Wales to speak Welsh when giving evidence. The court will make the necessary arrangements to book a qualified Welsh language interpreter and will pay the cost. If required, the court will also ensure that any questions posed to you in English are translated into Welsh to help you give your evidence in Welsh.