VICTIMS of crime and witnesses attending a North-East court centre now have their own suite of waiting rooms.
The facilities, which are solely for the use of victims and witnesses, come into use at the Newcastle Crown Court Quayside complex today.
It ensures they are not likely to come face-to-face with defendants, or their friends and families prior to and after cases, offering them reassurance amid potentially tense and fraught circumstances.
The £25,000 suite was funded by the Northumbria Criminal Justice Board, chaired by Northumbria Police Chief Constable Crispian Strachan.
Representatives of the police, the Court Service, the Crown Prosecution and probation services, and Victim Support, attended Friday's opening.
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