Families can attend hearings remotely

No financial support available to victims

There is no financial support available to victims or families who wish to attend parole hearings off-Island. 

The Justice and Home Affairs Minister has confirmed instead they can access hearings remotely. 

In a Tynwald written answer, Jane Poole-Wilson said her department 'recognises the significant and continuing impact that serious crime can have upon victims and their families, particularly where they are required to engage with the criminal justice system many years after the original offence'.

Noting it is an issue that questioner Onchan MHK Rob Callister has raised before, she said that there is no general scheme which meets the travel and accommodation costs of victims or their families.

The minister added: "Victims and their families are now able to participate in parole hearings remotely, enabling them to engage with the process without necessarily having to travel to the United Kingdom." 

She added that the government is happy to work with Victim Support and the Parole Board in England and Wales or Scotland to facilitate this.