Question for appeal panellists

welcomebreese · 2025-07-14T06:06:37+00:00

If an appeal is partially based on a child having been the victim of an assault that is being investigated by the police, what evidence would you expect the appellant to provide?

Lougle · 14/07/2025 11:09

Do you have a copy of the police report?

Original poster

welcomebreese · 14/07/2025 12:16

Lougle · 14/07/2025 11:09

Do you have a copy of the police report?

I'm asking the question from the perspective of a panel member because I've been in a hearing as an observer where the assault was the main reason the case was won. It was only glancingly mentioned in the written case, and no supporting evidence was given, but the appellant gave a convincing verbal account at the hearing. I'm wondering if it's typical for that to be enough if written evidence isn't provided.

If a police report is something that crime victims routinely have access to it might be reasonable to expect to see it.

OP posts:

Lougle · 14/07/2025 12:34

welcomebreese · 14/07/2025 12:16

I'm asking the question from the perspective of a panel member because I've been in a hearing as an observer where the assault was the main reason the case was won. It was only glancingly mentioned in the written case, and no supporting evidence was given, but the appellant gave a convincing verbal account at the hearing. I'm wondering if it's typical for that to be enough if written evidence isn't provided.

If a police report is something that crime victims routinely have access to it might be reasonable to expect to see it.

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I'm asking as an ex-panelist. If you have a police report as evidence, that would be the best thing. If you are just giving a statement that it is the case, you're reliant on how convincing that is to the panel. With all appeals, the more objective evidence you have, the more convincing it will be for the panel. That's not to say that a personal statement can't be convincing, but assault is a wide ranging term (technically, a hand on an arm can be deemed assault, but it wouldn't be as severe as a posh, a slap or a punch, for example) and the impact and severity will vary.

Lougle · 14/07/2025 12:36

All victims of crime should be given a report and a crime reference number.

https://www.gov.uk/your-rights-after-crime

steppemum · 14/07/2025 12:49

welcomebreese · 14/07/2025 12:16

I'm asking the question from the perspective of a panel member because I've been in a hearing as an observer where the assault was the main reason the case was won. It was only glancingly mentioned in the written case, and no supporting evidence was given, but the appellant gave a convincing verbal account at the hearing. I'm wondering if it's typical for that to be enough if written evidence isn't provided.

If a police report is something that crime victims routinely have access to it might be reasonable to expect to see it.

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Are you sceptical and think the appeal shouldn't have been granted?

Original poster

welcomebreese · 14/07/2025 13:18

steppemum · 14/07/2025 12:49

Are you sceptical and think the appeal shouldn't have been granted?

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Only marginally. I don't think it was made up, but some details could have been exaggerated.

I was observing as a trainee panellist, so couldn't contribute.

OP posts:

Anotheranonymousname · 14/07/2025 21:24

The crime report my DC received amounted to a line stating a crime report had been opened with common assault as the offence, X as the suspect and my DC as the victim. There was also a crime reference number but there was no detail. The detail of the assault was contained within witness statements and video footage.

Were I to appeal for a school place based on the assault, I would probably include my DC's written account of what happened along with the significant amount of correspondence from the school and Police related to the offence.