To not want to be a witness in court?

[Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread]

Second aibu in 24 hours. It’s all going on 🫠

I’ve had a letter through advising I’ve been called as a witness in October. Basically, last year I witnessed somebody be hit by a Tesco delivery van, the van drove off and the person is now sueing Tesco. I helped at the time, called the police, managed to get a pic of the (speeding off in panic) van to get a reg plate, gave first aid to the guy.

since then, I’ve provided written statements, over the phone statements, police statements, given more information than I can recall if I’m being honest. The details they’ve asked for are crazy. Now I’ve had a letter through basically saying they need me to be a witness in court or the case may fall through. I feel bad for the guy but is this just a bit much to ask? FWIW I’m self employed and a single parent. This is taking up much more of my time than I’d ever contemplated (I was just doing a natural human thing stopping to help someone). The guy has my phone number and has chased me if I’ve taken a while to respond to solicitors with my statement.

wwyd? AIBU to want to block everything to do with it?

Sorry you are going through this @Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread I would be REALLY pissed off by this, and in the vast majority of cases I would not get involved with anything that didn't involve me or one of my loved ones. It's just too much hassle, and being a witness can upend your life. I have seen it happen.

Some years ago, I was walking in a back alley in the town I lived in, and a man shouted 'oi' at me out of an upstairs flat window. I looked up and he was pointing a gun at me - about 30 feet away from me. Another man's voice inside shouted 'for fuck's sake get away from the window!' I panicked and ran away quickly.

I went to a phone box and phoned 999, and reported to the police that a man had pointed a gun at me, and said which flat it was/the address. They asked me for my name and address but I said I'm not getting involved and refused to give it. They said 'it would be helpful'. I said 'you don't need my name and address to go and arrest this man for pointing a firearm at a member of the public.' Then I hung up.

I ran away from the phone box quickly and jumped onto a passing bus. I didn't care where it was going. I heard police sirens a few minutes later, and jumped off the bus 2 stops down (about half a mile away.) In the paper a few days later, I discovered the flat had been raided and they'd found guns and machetes and drugs and all sorts there. 3 men arrested. For dealing in drugs. And owning weapons and unregistered firearms.

If I had given my name I would have been dragged right into it all. And had to testify against DRUG DEALERS.

Errrrrr, no! No thank you! They were caught and taken off the streets. And sent to jail. And that happened without me giving my name!

I really REALLY don't care what anyone thinks about me refusing to give my name by the way, (in case someone decides to come at me and throw shade on me for not doing the 'right thing.') Bash me at your leisure. I will do what's right for me and my family and loved ones. It means nothing to me what people think.

Sadly @Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread it looks like you have no choice but to be a witness now. You're involved. If you refuse, they will treat YOU like a criminal, and will charge you with contempt of court. You can get 2 years in jail for it! I know! Bonkers!

It does though in the cold light of day.

Not for the person who does it.

I think this is the best advice @Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread - you’ll give yourself a break but still be the witness. Maybe call the solicitor a few days before the date in October to check nothings changed.

I agree, I think the supermarket will settle.

I agree with you on the OP. I went above and beyond and stopped for a very minor car accident and I felt hounded by their insurance. There was no thank you for anything like that from the driver, just constant chasing for me to draw a diagram and I had to do this numerous times. Like you, I was self employed so I didn’t have all the time in the world.

This would be beyond your duty in my opinion. You’ve given evidence by making statements. Find out the court date, book a holiday and say you can’t make it. I don’t think they can make you if it’s not a formal summoning.

I think there are 2 different cases here: one is the dangerous driving/failing to stop which I’m prettty sure the police had dealt with and the driver got his points/loss of license/job etc

And the second civil case against Tesco which has nothing to do with justice but it sounds like a claim for a minor injury.

If that’s the case OP, I’d be replying to say it’s cost you this and that amou t of time/money and you’d not wish to spend more on this or want a specified amount of compensation for.

I’m concerned that you have said you have given more information than you can recall. If that means you have put more in your witness statement than you can remember, you are committing perjury.

I'm with you OP. I would hate this. You already have gone above and beyond and now this.

It is to do with justice. To prove liability. The person employed by Tesco allegedly drove off following an accident. And caused an injury to someone.
If a van hit me and drove off I would want redress and justice.

Thread is problamatic if accurate as Tesco/Insurers find it or someone sends it to them, it will be used in court as you've implied he wasn't badly injured and was well enjoy to talk about a claim on the spot.

You should probably have it deleted.

I think you’ve done enough and the court can use your statements.

The guy sounds like an ambulance chaser wannabe. I’d want the driver severely disciplined but that’s it.

This is why i dont get involed with anything, it just becomes to much faffing around for other people.
I once was in a similer thing op, and i just said toss it im done, i backed out.
It was like told the police what happend the next im ask would you be a witness in court, how did i get to this point, i said no end of that.

Ive learned to stay out of the drama.

It’s not just that it’s tedious. I’m neurodivergent with autism, ocd, combined adhd and terrible anxiety. It’s extremely difficult for me to organise my time as it is, let alone focus on something that isn’t remotely interesting or important to me. Being self employed it means loss of earnings, it means arranging child care as a single parent. And the date also lands on my sisters birthday where we’d usually do something.

despite all this I can’t help but feel guilty and like I’d be the one wasting everyone’s time so the guy can get a pay out

Wow I’m so sorry that happened to you that’s awful. Honestly the palava of it all is just untrue I thought it’d be a couple of months max but it’s just insane

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

If you are saying you aren't medically fit to be a witness due to mental health issues you could try providing evidence of that to the court but they are usually reluctant to excuse you on medical grounds without robust evidence.
i understand your stress at loss of earnings and child care issues.
I don't think your sisters birthday plan would be considered relevant.
If you or your child had been injured and needed a witness to confirm it in a court of law for you to be compensated would you hope they'd do so?

You are allowed claim compensation for lost earnings and costs incurred for attending court AFAIK. So the childcare etc should be paid.
You should make it clear to this chap that in order for you to attend then your expenses will need to be covered.

@Zov

I think you chose the absolutely perfect course of action. You alerted the police to a criminal situation which they were easily able to come along, witness happening and respond accordingly. They didn't need to involve you at all, as it could have been anybody walking by who witnessed it. They didn't need YOU to report it; they just needed SOMEBODY - who in this case just happened to be you.

As OP has found, people will gladly rope you in for their convenience and use you as a resource, with no care or regard whatsoever to the repercussions to you. It's not even just inconvenience and upheaval but there's a very real potential for actual danger to you. If a drug dealer knew that you had reported them and killed you as a consequence, the wheels of justice would then turn to ensure that your killer received additional punishment for that crime... but that doesn't really help you, does it?

Thank you so much @AWeeCupOfTeaAndAnIndividualFruitTrifle I do appreciate your words. 😘

This puts me in mind - if anyone is interested - of 'Should I Marry A Murderer?' on Netflix right now. It's a 3 part docmentary about a young woman in Scotland who started dating a man she met on Tinder. She fell for him quickly, and he fell for her. Really deeply entrenched in each other's lives within 5-6 weeks. Very intense. Spending every day together.

One day, (only about 2 months after they met) he told her about a very serious crime he had committed, 3 years earlier, where he was responsible for a man's death. It was a gruesome tale. She was gobsmacked, and sat with the information for a little while, (a few weeks,) and then she decided she had to tell the police.

Long story short, to try and prove what had happened/that this man was responsible for this other man's death was hard and drawn out. The police questioned him, and he knew it was her who had told the police, and they let him go because of lack of evidence at the time, and left the case 'pending.'

They gave the young woman NO protection at all. No support, no guidance, no counselling, NOTHING. Just left her to her own devices, with a man who knew she had 'grassed him up' on the loose.

The way she was treated and what she had to go through - as a witness/someone who knew about the killing - after telling the police what had happened, was reprehensible. The poor woman was broken, and her life completely upended, and changed beyond recognition. She was never the same again. She said herself, that she often wishes she had just said nothing.

I won't say how it ended, in case someone wants to watch it....

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You witnessed it and got involved. Just do the right thing and attend court. That driver needs to know the consequences of their actions. Next time they might kill somebody.
Can you claim expenses for your time and travel costs if you attend court?

You might find that they settle out of court before the date! Fingers crossed!
I witnessed an accident...the only witness. I was told I would need to attend court but luckily they settled just before the court date, so I didn't have to.

Morally it's the right thing to be a witness. If you were the victim. Wouldn't you want witnesses to support you.

Given it's a civil case. It's very unlikely you will be called. Most civil cases settle before court. Even if it does go to court, you are only called as a witness if the defence take issue with your statement. It's mostly the experts that are called as witnesses, to testify as to the impact of the injuries in order to calculate compensation.

I think it’s ok to claim compensation, but he probably is an ambulance chaser using a no win no fee crowd.