Justice Minister Naomi Long opened a new Remote Evidence Centre in Craigavon. The standalone facility sits away from the courthouse. It lets eligible adult and child witnesses give evidence by videolink.

The centre supports victims entitled to special measures. It prevents them from facing defendants in person. Such centres stem from Sir John Gillen’s 2019 report on serious sexual offence procedures in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Justice runs RECs in Belfast and Craigavon. An NSPCC facility operates in Londonderry. Over 600 vulnerable or intimidated witnesses used RECs last year. Conviction rates in these cases stay near 90 percent. Many end in guilty pleas before trial, sparing witnesses oral testimony.

Naomi Long stated that witnesses often find court appearances distressing. She noted that RECs cut anxiety and allow full involvement in trials. Long credited partnerships with PSNI, court staff, Victim Support NI, and NSPCC Young Witness Service.

Jenni Boyce of NSPCC Young Witness Service said the centres ease fear for child victims by avoiding defendant contact. Janice Bunting, chief executive of Victim Support NI, said the Craigavon opening extends services launched in Belfast in 2023. She added that witnesses report feeling safer and more confident.

Stephen Herron, Director of Public Prosecutions, said court attendance overwhelms some witnesses. He stated that RECs help them deliver strong evidence, aiding prosecutions. Herron called the centre a step to expand changes across courts.