Witness protection - national proceedings

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

International Criminal Court Act 2001 (2014)

Part 5 Offences under domestic law

England and Wales

57 Protection of victims and witnesses

(1) The enactments specified below (which make provision for the protection of victims and witnesses of certain offences) have effect—
(a) as if any reference in those provisions to a specific substantive offence included an offence under section 51 involving conduct constituting that offence; and
(b) as if any reference in those provisions to a specific ancillary offence included—
(i) that ancillary offence in relation to an offence under section 51 involving conduct constituting the substantive offence in question, and
(ii) an offence under section 52 involving conduct constituting that ancillary offence in relation to an act to which that section applies involving conduct constituting the substantive offence in question.
(2) The enactments are—
• the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976 (c. 82) and the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 (c. 34) (protection of victims of sexual offences);
• Chapters 1 to 3 of Part 2 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (c. 23) (protection of witnesses and complainants); and
• the Sexual Offences (Protected Material) Act 1997 (c. 39) (restrictions on access by defendants and others to material disclosed in connection with proceedings for offences).
(3) In subsection (1) above—
(a) “substantive offence” means an offence other than an ancillary offence; and
(b) the reference to conduct constituting an offence is to conduct that would constitute that offence if committed in England and Wales.

Part 5 Offences under domestic law

Northern Ireland

64 Protection of victims and witnesses

(1) The enactments specified below (which make provision for the protection of victims and witnesses of certain offences) have effect—
(a) as if any reference in those provisions to a specific substantive offence included an offence under section 58 involving conduct constituting that offence; and
(b) as if any reference in those provisions to a specific ancillary offence included—
(i) that ancillary offence in relation to an offence under section 58 involving conduct constituting the substantive offence in question, and
(ii) an offence under section 59 involving conduct constituting that ancillary offence in relation to an act to which that section applies involving conduct constituting the substantive offence in question.
(2) The enactments are—
• the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (S.I. 1978/460 (N.I. 15)) and the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 (c. 34) (protection of victims of sexual offences); and
• Parts 1 to 4 of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/2789 (N.I. 8)) (protection of witnesses and complainants).
Until the commencement of the amendments to the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 (c. 34) made by Schedule 2 to the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, the reference above to the 1992 Act shall be read as a reference to Part 3 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994.
(3) In subsection (1) above—
(a) “substantive offence” means an offence other than an ancillary offence; and
(b) the reference to conduct constituting an offence is to conduct that would constitute that offence if committed in Northern Ireland.

Rome Statute

Article 93 Other forms of cooperation

1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:

(j) The protection of victims and witnesses and the preservation of evidence;