New help for Norfolk crime victims and witnesses

A new 'one-stop shop' website for victims and witnesses who need to use the court system in Norfolk has gone live.

The Victim and Witness Support pages on Norfolk Constabulary's website were created in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

With the launch of the new web-pages, victims and witnesses can access information around their rights under the Victims Code and Witness Charter, find out what happens in court and learn more about the support network available for them.

It also provides an opportunity for them to feed back to the criminal justice services team and CPS their experiences throughout the legal/court process.

Peter Merry, head of criminal justice services, said: 'We understand that increasingly and quite rightly members of our communities want to access information where, when and how they want it. As a public service we need to respond to that demand.

'For an organisation committed to putting people first, especially those who have been subject of a crime, this new source of information is invaluable.

'This does not replace alternative sources of information and we continue to ensure all our victims and witnesses will continue to get all the information and support they need. It does provide an additional means of accessing information for those who want it.'

Chief Crown Prosecutor for Norfolk Andrew Baxter said: 'What the web-pages do is reassure everyone that in the unlikely event of becoming a victim or a witness to a crime, the Crown Prosecution Service and Norfolk Constabulary, through the Victim and Witness Support Team, remain committed to continuing to provide excellent support locally to anyone who has to attend court.

'This is recognised by the 92pc of victims and witnesses who have fed back to us about being satisfied with the level of support we gave them. This feedback allows us to improve the services we offer and is extremely valuable.'