Witness Statements
What is a witness statement?
It is a record of truth and facts which may be required in either civil or criminal proceedings. It may be that you have personally been involved in an accident or incident or, been a witness to one. Either way you may be required to give a statement to either support your case, or help someone else support their case.
How is a witness statement obtained?
Good witness statements are based on asking the right questions. Obtaining an effective witness statement relies on a combination of the right approach and asking the right questions, right from the start.
Why is a witness statement important?
Securing a witness statement is an important part of your evidence gathering process and should be an accurate, truthful and unprompted statement, which may be used for evidential purposes. The process could be very daunting and stressful for the person giving the statement therefore, to ensure the best result it should include:
- Preparing the right questions.
- Carrying out the interview in a calm and professional manner.
- Asking the right questions in the right way to obtain truthful responses.
Recording witness responses in their own words.
