Introduction of CVP for PCVL at Magistrates Courts
Update from HMCTS:
“…we are planning to go live with our first tranche of prisons and Magistrates Courts using CVP on Monday 20th July. I have attached guidance [see above] which hopefully you will find useful, as introducing CVP for Prison to Court Video Links (PCVL) in the Magistrates Courts does mean change from a defence practitioner point of view. We have been working closely with colleagues in HMPPS to develop process and guidance, and in order to meet their security protocols it is necessary for practitioners to provide their name (or up to 3 names to allow flexibility) in advance of any confidential consultation with clients so the prison can authenticate them. The slot provided by the prisons for pre-court consultation has been extended to allow time for practitioners to show the necessary ID for authentication by prison staff. The attached sets out how this will work, so the process starts “2 working days before the hearing” and for the purposes of go live this is 20th July for the first tranche.
Prisons in Tranche A are as follows:
HMP Durham
HMP Doncaster
HMP Hull
HMP Leeds
Wormwood Scrubs
High Down
Wandsworth
Peterborough
We will be reviewing the success of Tranche A with HMPPS at the end of July and I will communicate further roll-out plans to you once agreed.“