Fillable Form Witness Statement

What is a Witness Statement?

An Observation or Witness Statement is a formal document used in court. It sets out the details of an individual’s factual account or testimony which can be used as a piece of evidence in court. It is important to make sure that a witness statement was signed by the witness to make it valid and to confirm that the information written in the form is true.

A Witness Statement can be provided by anyone who is relevant to the case. Some examples of the best witnesses are:

• A person who directly witnessed the incident
• A person who’s residing near the place of the incident
• An accountable person who is consistent about what he or she is saying
• An expert educated in a certain area
• A person who was acquainted with the victim, the defendant, or other parties involved in the case

How to write a Witness Statement?

For your convenience, PDFRun has a Witness Statement template that you can use. It should be filled out with the following information:

Candidate Name

Enter the full legal name of the candidate.

Assessor Name

Enter the full legal name of the assessor.

Witness details (where applicable)

Name

Enter the full legal name of the witness.

Job Title

Enter the job title of the witness.

Name and address of the place of work

Enter the complete name and address of the witness’s place of work.

Telephone number

Enter the active telephone number of the witness.

Email

Enter the active email address of the witness.

Fax number

Enter the active fax number of the witness.

Relationship to candidate

Enter the relationship of the witness to the candidate.

Note:

There are three tables in this Witness Statement template. Fill out the necessary tables that apply to you.

Table 1

What activity or activities did the candidate carry out, over what period of time, and in what context?

Enter a list of activities that the candidate carried out including its duration and context.

The next column, For assessor use only: Unit/AO reference, should only be filled out by an assessor.

Table 2

How much supervision or help was the candidate given?

Enter the list or amount of supervision or help that was given to the candidate

Signature

Affix the signature of the witness or assessor.

Date

Enter the date when the witness or assessor signed this form.

Table 3

For Assessor use only:

Enter the authentication notes, date, assessment notes, grade, and date.

This table should only be filled out by an assessor.

Tips:

If you wish to modify the Witness Statement template or write one on your own, here are a few suggestions that might help you in doing so:

• Enter your correct personal information.

To build up your credibility in a witness statement, you should make sure that you are entering accurate information about yourself, including your name, relationship to each party involved, and other important identifying information. More often than not, lawyers of each party do background checks on witnesses. Do not let them find any fault in the personal information you’ve given to avoid any problem with your statement.

• Be specific with your statement’s details.

State directly what you know, heard, saw, or felt about the incident. Include specific information in your statement and don’t put vague or uncertain details. Every single detail is crucial in a case, so make sure to indicate all of them.

• Stick with the truth.

A witness statement is an important step in pursuing the truth about an incident. As a witness, it is your responsibility to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It is imperative not to lie or cover up the truth in any way with your statement. Indicate only what you know and do not make up stories. You should also not include gossips, rumors, and other unreliable information.

• Attach supporting documents.

In order to make your claims stronger and more plausible, you can include documents that can support your statement. Some examples of these documents are:

• Medical reports
• Bank statements
• Telephone records
• Social services reports or letters
• Printed text messages or emails

• Include a statement of truth.

A statement of truth is usually found at the end of the witness statement. It states that the author of the witness statement believes that the information that he or she entered is true. When in doubt, you can use this common statement of truth in your witness statement:

• I believe the facts stated in this witness statement are true. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth.

• Affix your signature.

Do not forget to sign your witness statement to make it valid. Keep it clean and legible since this will most probably be presented in court. If a witness statement is not signed, the court may choose not to allow it as a piece of evidence in a case.

• Consult an attorney or a solicitor.

If you’re having trouble drafting a witness statement, you should consult an attorney or a solicitor to help you in doing so. Having a professional on your side will make your work easier and better. Since they probably already know how this kind of document works, they can assist you with the necessary knowledge you’ll be needing to successfully write your statement.

What happens if I lie in a Witness Statement?

If you’ve been proven to sign a statement of truth where you knowingly included false information, you are bound to receive legal ramifications. This may lead to you being contempt of court.

Contempt of court is when there’s an occurrence of defiance or disobedience against the court that may obstruct its ability to function accordingly. Being hold in contempt of court is a serious offense. The punishment for this offense may include:

• A maximum penalty of two years imprisonment
• Fines
• Wage garnishment
• Complete unpaid work