If the defendant pleads guilty it means that they admit to committing the offence they were charged with. If they plead guilty before the trial starts, then there won’t be a trial and you won’t have to give evidence.
If the defendant
The person accused of the crime.
View the full glossary changes their plea
A formal answer to a charge e.g guilty or not guilty.
View the full glossary to guilty during the trial then the trial will stop. A sentencing
This is when the Judge decides what happens to the offender if they've pleaded or been found guilty.
View the full glossary hearing will usually be scheduled for a later date. Sentencing is when the Judge decides what will happen to the offender
Person convicted of a crime.
View the full glossary .
If the defendant pleads
A formal answer to a charge e.g guilty or not guilty.
View the full glossary guilty or is found guilty, you may be given the opportunity to attend a restorative justice conference(external link). This would happen before sentencing.
If you have made a victim impact statement
A record of how the crime has affected the victim. The Judge must consider it when sentencing the offender.
View the full glossary , the Judge will consider this before sentencing the offender. At sentencing, there may be an opportunity for you, or someone you’ve chosen, to read out all (or parts) of your victim impact statement or you can choose not to have it read out at all.