Victims' families to get voice

Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:00 AM

A new scheme to allow families of murder and manslaughter victims to have their own say in court proceedings has today been highlighted by the lord chancellor.

Lord Falconer today addressed the North of England Victims Association in South Shields, giving his backing to the victims' advocate scheme, which allows people to explain to the court how the loss of a family member has affected them.

The statement would be read out after conviction but before sentencing and could be delivered by either a family member or a third party such as a lawyer.

At the moment victims' families have no legal right to speak in court proceedings.

The victims' advocate scheme has been trialled in several crown courts across the UK, including the Old Bailey, Birmingham and Manchester, since April, and it could be set for a full-scale implementation by October of this year.

Yesterday Tony Blair explained that he wished to "re-balance" the criminal justice system, arguing that victims' rights had become superseded by those of the suspect.

But the government has faced criticism in the aftermath of the prime minister's speech, as with more than 40 pieces of law and order legislation having been passed since 1997, any 'rebalancing' would appear to be correcting Labour mistakes.

Tags:
• crime
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• domestic policy
,
• labour
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• legal
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• party politics