Emergency laws on anonymity

Updated 13.02 Wed Jun 25 2008

Keywords: justice, trials, courts, witness anonymity

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told MPs that emergency legislation allowing witness anonymity in certain trials will be brought forward next week.

The announcement came as frantic legal moves continued to take place behind the scenes to plug a gap in legislation opened up by a controversial House of Lords ruling last week which said defendants had a right to know who was testifying against them.

Police believe up to 40 people convicted of serious crimes in the capital alone could walk free if witnesses refuse to reveal their names in a retrial

Top police officers and prosecutors want the use of anonymous witnesses to be enshrined in law before Parliament rises for the summer recess.

Police believe up to 40 people convicted of serious crimes in the capital alone could walk free if witnesses refuse to reveal their names in a retrial.

During Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, Mr Brown told MPs the Government would "bring forward this week immediate legislation to enable the courts to grant anonymity to witnesses for cases such as those involving organised crime and witness intimidation.

"I hope and believe we can do this with all-party support."