Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Act 2008

This Bill would abolish the common law rules relating to anonymity orders for witnesses in criminal trials and replace them with statutory powers.

This is in response to the judgment of the House of Lords, on 18 June 2008, in R v Davis, in which it was held that the measures ordered by the court to ensure the anonymity of some witnesses had been beyond its jurisdiction.

The Bill has been introduced as an emergency measure because the judgment is likely to affect a number of ongoing prosecutions in which similar anonymity measures have been ordered, as well as convictions resulting from trials in which witnesses have given evidence anonymously.