Useful Links

You can contact your local Witness Service on the numbers below:
North Eastern Area (Belfast, Lisburn, Antrim, Coleraine, Limavady, Ballymena)
02890 232523

South Eastern Area (Ards, Downpatrick, Newry, Craigavon, Armagh)
02844 616233

Western Area (Londonderry, Magherafelt, Enniskillen, Omagh, Strabane)
02871 279440

You can also contact Victim Support Staff in the Victim Witness Care Units on:
Belfast – Aine       02890 264514
Foyle – Danielle   02871 340713

Key organisations

The criminal justice system in Northern Ireland has lots of separate agencies doing different jobs. Here’s a quick overview of some of the key agencies involved and what they do.

The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS)

The role of the NICTS is to:

• provide administrative support for Northern Ireland’s courts and tribunals;
• support an independent Judiciary;
• provide advice to the Minister of Justice on matters relating to the operation of the courts and tribunals;
• enforce civil court judgments through the Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO);
• manage funds held in court on behalf of minors and patients;
• provide high quality courthouses and tribunal hearing centres; and
• act as the Central Authority for the registration of judgments under certain international conventions

If you wish to make a complaint about the treatment you have received during a trial, you can do so using the online complaints form which you will find in this section of the NICTS website

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. If you have been the victim of or witness to a crime you should report it to the police.

• Call 999 in an emergency where you need immediate assistance or feel threatened.
• Call 101 in a non-emergency where you need assistance and/or advice.
• Quick and easy way to report non-emergency incidents online.

Public Prosecution Service

The Public Prosecution Service is the principal prosecuting authority in Northern Ireland. In addition to taking decisions as to prosecution in cases investigated by the police in Northern Ireland, it also considers cases investigated by other statutory authorities, such as HM Revenue and Customs.

Department of Justice

The Department of Justice is part of the Northern Ireland Executive and is the primary funder of Victim Support NI. The Department has a range of powers relating to devolved policing, and is responsible for the resourcing, legislative and policy framework of the justice system in Northern Ireland.

Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI)

The Probation Board for Northern Ireland works in courts, in communities and with victims of crime to change lives for safer communities. PBNI run a Victim Information Scheme responding to victims’ rights to be kept informed about the sentences which the Court has imposed on the offender in their case. They have Victim Liaison Officers whose role it is to empower victims of crime and by providing them with relevant information about sentences.

Victim Witness Care Unit (VWCU)

The Victim Witness Care Unit (VWCU) is the single point of contact for all prosecution witnesses and is part of the Public Prosecution Service. Victim Support NI has dedicated support officers in the VWCU to give people emotional support and practical information as they prepare for court. There are two VWCUs in Northern Ireland.

We have Victim Support NI staff embedded into each VWCU.  If you would like to speak to them directly, you can do so on:

Belfast Office – Aine 02890 264514
Foyle Office – Danielle 02871 340713

NSPCC’s Young Witness Service

The NSPCC’s Young Witness Service supports young people giving evidence. NSPCC workers and volunteers provide information and advice to children and young people – as well as their family, friends and supporters – before, during and after the trial.

The service is available to young witnesses in all types of crime in every Crown, Magistrate and Youth court.