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The information provided here is intended to assist Magistrates' Court, legal practitioners, victims and support services in dealing with digitally recorded evidence-in-chief (DREC) as part of the Victoria Police family violence body worn camera (BWC) trial. The trial commenced in October 2018.
DREC is a victim statement that is recorded by police using a police-issued BWC.
The DREC may replace all, or part of, a formal written statement and will be played in court as the victim’s evidence-in-chief in a proceeding for a family violence
incident.
Victims must be over the age of 18, not appear to have a cognitive impairment and provide informed consent before a Victoria Police member can take a DREC.
A DREC cannot be taken where the accused person was under 18 years at the time of the alleged incident.
Only police members who have completed the family violence body worn camera training will be permitted to capture DREC from victims of family violence.
The trial is taking place at Epping and Ballarat, Ballarat North and Ballarat West police stations and is currently limited to these court locations:
- Ballarat Magistrates’ Court
- Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court
for summary matters.
- Melbourne Magistrates’ Court
- Ballarat Magistrates’ Court
for committal proceedings, in advance of any trial in the County or Supreme Court.
Magistrates' Court
Legal practitioners
Victim support
Reviewed 04 March 2020