Pre-Recorded Evidence (PRE): view recorded evidence before trial
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-15)

You can use the PRE service to view recordings of pre-recorded evidence before trial.

About the Pre-Recorded Evidence service

The Pre-Recorded Evidence (PRE) service is an HMCTS-owned and managed platform that allows you to view recordings of pre-recorded cross-examination evidence before a criminal trial.

The PRE service will replace existing third-party contracts to provide for Section 28 of the Youth and Criminal Justice Act pre-recorded evidence (PRE) special measure (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/23/section/28).

The court will share the recording on the PRE service after the hearing and you will be able to access it immediately. You will only be able to watch the recording on the service – you cannot download it or share it with others.

Before you start

As a defence or prosecution professional, you will need to register for an account before being able to view pre-recorded video evidence on the PRE service.

Register for a PRE service account for your organisation for Common Platform (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pre-recorded-evidence-pre-registration-for-legal-professionals)

Once you have registered, we will contact you with next steps.

Find a recording

Once your account is activated, you can start accessing recordings on the PRE service. We recommend you use a laptop or desktop computer to access recordings.

Start now (https://portal.pre-recorded-evidence.justice.gov.uk/)

You cannot use Internet Explorer for the PRE service, so you may need to copy the link into one of these browsers:
- Edge (or Edge Chromium)
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Safari
There are terms and conditions (https://portal.pre-recorded-evidence.justice.gov.uk/terms-and-conditions) that you will need to accept before being able to sign into the PRE service. You should allow the use of cookies when using the PRE service.

Book and manage a recording

You will be able to book a recording of evidence at court on the day of the hearing – you will no longer need to give 24 hours’ notice. Contact the court dealing with your case to book the recording.

Make a recording

The recording will be made during the pre-recorded evidence hearing, either in a separate court room or at a referral centre. The witness giving evidence will need to attend in person to make the recording.

You can ask that the screen in the hearing room that displays the witness giving evidence is hidden from view of the defendant. This can be during the recording and when the evidence is played back later.

You can also ask for a test recording before the cross examination.

Edit a recording

If you need to edit a recording, you must complete an editing form – ask the court to share the form with you. Send this back to the court email address in the form and to the representative on the other side of the case

The other side must agree with the edits before they can be made. If they do not agree, the court will need to arrange a mention hearing where a judge can decide on the edits.

Once agreed and approved, the editing can take up to 10 working days. You will receive an email when the new recording is available on the PRE service. The original version will also still be available.

Get help and guidance

For full guidance, see the How to use the Pre-recorded Evidence service guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-use-the-pre-recorded-evidence-pre-service).

Contact the CTSC if you need further help with:
- registering with PRE
- using PRE once you have registered
- accessing your account
- getting a unique reference number for a case
- booking a recording
Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6pm Saturday, 8am to 2pm Closed on Sundays and bank holidays Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)