A CAMPAIGN has been launched to encourage more people to give evidence against criminals in the North-East.

The Local Criminal Justice Board in County Durham and Darlington is the first in the country to carry out such a detailed public consultation which will help improve court proceedings for witnesses and victims.

It is hoped the £450,000 government-funded research over the next three years will lead to more witnesses appearing in court - and a greater number of criminals being convicted.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said many trials collapsed because witnesses were too scared or intimidated to give evidence.

A survey in 2003 in County Durham and Darlington found that 22 per cent of witnesses in magistrates court trials did not turn up and the figure rose to 26 per cent at Crown Court.

Durham Chief Crown Prosecutor Portia Ragnauth said: "It takes courage to come to court. It can be an intimidating process and people can feel uncomfortable.

"We are hoping for a good response from the community - they have the chance to say something about the service. We hope it will mean more offenders will be brought to justice and it will encourage people to come forward to police if they are victims of crime."

More than 600 people in County Durham and Darlington are to be asked their views and experiences on being witnesses in criminal cases through telephone surveys.

Two focus groups, featuring people from a wide range of backgrounds, have already been held in Darlington and Stanhope, County Durham, to gauge their views.

Victims or witnesses to serious crimes, such as rape, murder and armed robbery, will be interviewed separately.

The No Witness No Justice consultation is part of a wider range of measures being implemented throughout the UK in conjunction with the Home Office, CPS, the police and the witness service.

It includes CPS lawyers being housed in police stations for the first time to give assistance and legal advice to officers and oversee the process from charges being made to prosecution.

In County Durham lawyers are to be based at Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Peterlee and Durham City police stations.

David Chadwick, head of South Durham CPS combined criminal justice and trial unit, said: "There are a whole host of reasons why people don't want to come to court. We have got to serve the public's needs and find out what their concerns are.

"If more people start reporting offences and there are more convictions, that will be a measure for improvement."

Two dedicated witness care units are to be set up in County Durham in September and another in March next year aimed at improving experiences for witnesses from the moment a crime is reported to police.

National surveys have found a fifth of witnesses were intimidated by court and only 52 per cent felt appreciated for giving evidence.