Vulnerable Witnesses & Defendants - Practical Strategies for Criminal Case Preparation

Introduction

This is an area of law where there has been a tremendous pace of advancement since 2014 and although there is now comparatively little disagreement among authorities about what best practice looks like, practitioners must now be able to navigate an increasingly complex set of client and witness needs from earlier stages in their careers. Getting these right matters; it can make the difference between achieving a just outcome and having a case simply fall apart due to lack of care for the witness and their needs or leave an otherwise safe conviction vulnerable to being quashed.

This webinar draws upon the practical experience of a criminal barrister who has dealt with a number of witnesses whose needs varied in type and severity and will offer participants a chance to hear both how things can go wrong and also what they can do to steer their case safely to a just conclusion.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• Special measures and preparation: Questions to ask
• Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act (especially Section 36)
• Intermediaries
• The importance of ground rules and how to prepare for a hearing
• Case studies

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Wednesday 7th October 2026

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 2,400+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.