Court transcript costs are exploitative – victims

Victims of violent and sexual crimes are calling for court transcript costs to be cut after they were quoted “unaffordable” sums for them.

They told BBC Newsnight that charging thousands of pounds for copies of court hearings was “exploitative”.

One rape survivor said she was quoted £7,500 for the transcript of her trial.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said victims could ask a judge to order a transcript at public expense, but cases were not routinely transcribed.

“If the request is declined, the fee covers the considerable costs that come with writing up the audio recording of potentially weeks’ worth of hearings,” a MoJ spokesperson said.

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing.

Juliana was raped by her former partner in 2020.

“He drugged me. He recorded the video of himself raping me and he actually played it back to me after waking me up,” she said. “He then threatened to send the video to my 88-year-old father. That’s when I reported him to the police.”

Juliana’s former partner was convicted by a jury at a trial, which lasted ten days.

She later wanted to revisit what had been said in court, but her request for a free copy of the transcript was rejected.

She was told provisions were only made in exceptional circumstances, such as in murder and manslaughter cases, but those circumstances were “not met in your application”.

Instead, she was advised to contact one of the companies outsourced by the government to supply transcripts.

Acolad UK Limited quoted £7,459 for the transcription, Juliana said. The firm said the price was an estimate based on the length of the audio, which needed to be listened to by a transcriber.

“I just thought ‘I can’t afford this’. I had to stop working. My mental health was a mess,” Juliana said. “Why do I have to pay for a service with data that is pertaining to me?”

The government’s website says crown court hearings and those at civil and family courts are always recorded. Anybody can apply for a transcript of the proceedings.

It says victims will usually have to pay for the transcript, unless the court believes there are special circumstances. The final cost will depend on the size of the transcription, whether it’s new or a copy, and other factors.

The court transcription service is outsourced to six companies in the UK, in a contract worth more than £17m.

BBC Newsnight found transcription costs at the six government-contracted firms varied from 80p per 72 words, to £1.71, for a 12-working-day transcription.

According to the government’s guidance notes, Acolad UK Limited charges 80p per 72 words if the transcription is to be completed in 12 working days, which is listed as the cheapest turnaround option.

The company said pricing is based on the quantity of material to be transcribed, the level of urgency, and other factors.

“The sensitivity of the matter at hand – as in all legal and court proceedings – determines that use of AI-assisted tools is limited, and human expertise prioritised,” Acolad said.

Crime victims have told BBC News that absorbing what is said in court can be incredibly difficult and traumatic, meaning they may have to rely on a transcription.

They argue having access to affordable transcripts allows them to go over the evidence and statements properly after cases have concluded.

According to the government, families in murder cases are entitled to free a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks following a conviction.

But Claire, whose ex-partner tried to kill her in 2020, said she was still quoted hundreds of pounds by Acolad for a transcription.

“I was asleep and he cut my throat and then repeatedly stabbed me,” Claire said. “I woke up to him trying to cut my neck.”

Her former partner pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Because she had struggled to take in what had been said in the court hearing, Claire wanted to be able to read the judge’s sentencing remarks.

She said she was not told a free copy could be requested from the court. Instead, she was advised to contact a transcription company.

Claire said the firm quoted her almost £300 to provide a transcript of the judge’s sentencing remarks. “I was quite shocked,” she said. “I was homeless, I’m not working, I’m disabled, and I really need this for my closure – and I wasn’t able to get it.”

She finally managed to get the transcript for free because somebody had already requested it and paid for the transcription work, which is standard procedure with all the companies.

“Some of the costs I’ve heard are astronomical, and these people deserve closure,” Claire added.

London’s Victims’ Commissioner, Claire Waxman said the current system must “urgently change”.

“Victims must be able to access accurate and timely transcripts, at no cost to themselves, to support their understanding and recovery, which is an essential part of their justice journey.”

The Ministry of Justice said it was “incredibly rare for a victim to request a transcript of an entire trial” and it was more common for people to request the judge’s sentencing remarks, which summarise the case against the defendant made at trial. It said that typically costs about £40.

If you’ve been affected by issues raised in this article, there is information and support available on BBC Action Line.