Witness-evidence redaction is the removal of personal data from a first-hand record of events. It matters who is named, because s.1(1) of the Civil Evidence Act 1995 means an account is not excluded merely for being hearsay, and what an absent person said can still be read. anonym.plus marks each identifier on your device, so the testimony stays useful while the data goes.
When this applies
The author recounts events and names other people, their addresses, and their employers. If you intend to rely on what an absent witness said, CPR 33.2 sets the notice you serve, and s.2 of the 1995 Act is the duty behind it. The court also controls what it admits under CPR 32.1, so an over-cut account can lose its value.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Load the account into anonym.plus on your device.
- The tool flags the author and third-party identifiers.
- Local OCR reads a scanned, signed page.
- Keep the narrative facts and timeline intact.
- Swap or black out the confirmed items.
- Save the clean copy locally.
What you need to provide
- The signed record (PDF, DOCX, or scan).
- An operator (Replace keeps the prose readable).
- Optional name map for repeat authors.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | the author → [WITNESS] |
| Names | PERSON | bystander named → [THIRD_PARTY] |
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | QQ 20 67 11 C → [NINO] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | DOB 1986 → [DOB] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | +44 116 496 0908 → [PHONE] |
| Location | LOCATION | incident street → [ADDRESS] |
Compliance achieved
- Recognises that s.1(1) Civil Evidence Act 1995 stops evidence being excluded merely because it is hearsay, so third-party accounts stay in play.
- Leaves the hearsay notice you serve under CPR 33.2 and s.2 Civil Evidence Act 1995 readable and intact.
- Keeps the detail that lets the court weigh the account under s.4 Civil Evidence Act 1995, such as whether the maker could have been called.
- Avoids cutting so far that the court excludes the account under its control of the material in CPR 32.1.
- Supports lawful processing of special category data for legal claims under UK GDPR Art. 9(2)(f).
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Limitations & cautions
A first-hand record often holds indirect clues, like a rare job plus a town. The tool flags named items but cannot judge when a unique detail re-identifies someone, nor whether a cut weakens the weight the court gives the account.
Frequently asked questions
Should I redact people the author names?
Often yes, but not blindly. Under s.1(1) of the 1995 Act an account of what an absent person said is not excluded merely for being hearsay, so who said what can matter. anonym.plus flags the author and third parties for your decision.
Does redaction affect a hearsay notice?
It should not. CPR 33.2 sets out the notice of intention to rely on hearsay, and s.2 of the 1995 Act is the duty behind it. Allow-list the notice so only identifiers in the account itself are marked.
Can over-redaction hurt the account?
Yes. Section 4 of the 1995 Act lists what the court weighs when the maker is not called, and CPR 32.1 lets the court control what it admits. Cut identifiers, not the substance.