Crown to consider review of procedure for victims' families

THE experience of Milly Dowler's family raises "fundamental questions" about the treatment of victims and witnesses in the courts system, the director of public prosecutions said.

Keir Starmer QC made his comments as the Crown Prosecution Service said the adversarial nature of the trial system, which caused so much distress to Milly's family, was "designed to test the evidence given by witnesses".

The CPS would consider the issues raised as it responds to a Ministry of Justice consultation on the support which is available for victims, Mr Starmer said.

Roger Coe-Salazar, the CPS chief crown prosecutor in the south east, said that "no amount of general foresight could ever prepare someone for" certain aspects of the trial process, such as the cross-examination which Milly's family found "extremely distressing".

But he said that while prosecutors objected to the questioning by Levi Bellfield's defence team "wherever we legitimately could", the defendant must always be able to "advance his defence before a jury".

Mr Coe-Salazar said: "There is no doubt that this experience has been extremely distressing for the Dowler family and it is impossible not to be moved and disturbed by the sentiments they have expressed today.

"I and my staff find the courage that they have displayed over such a long period of time, and most recently during the trial, most humbling.

"We carry our role towards victims and witnesses at the heart of what we do and we know from experience that the trial process can be a highly traumatic experience for witnesses and loved ones."

He went on: "The adversarial nature of our criminal trial system in this country is designed to test the evidence given by witnesses; be they for the prosecution or defence so as to ensure safe conviction and acquittal of the innocent."