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'Changes needed' to system after Milly Dowler trial | 'Changes needed' to system after Milly Dowler trial |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The man who oversaw the Milly Dowler murder investigation says the justice system will be undermined if victims are not treated sensitively in court. | |
Milly's parents Bob and Sally Dowler have criticised the way they were cross examined during Levi Bellfield's trial. | |
Surrey Police Chief Constable Mark Rowley said he was "shocked" by their treatment and called for changes. | |
The director of public prosecutions said the case had raised "fundamental questions" that needed answering. | |
Keir Starmer QC said he would examine how victims were treated. "We will be contributing to the review by the Ministry of Justice into all aspects of victim support," he said. | |
'Too high a price' | 'Too high a price' |
Bellfield was given a whole life tariff by a judge at the Old Bailey on Friday for murdering 13-year-old Milly, who was abducted from Walton-on-Thames in 2002. | |
Details of the Dowler family's private life were revealed during his trial, including the fact that Milly discovered pornography magazines at the family home. | |
During the prosecution's closing speeches, Brian Altman QC accused Bellfield of putting Milly's grieving parents on trial. | |
The Dowlers said they had suffered a "mentally scarring experience on an unimaginable scale" during his trial and that they paid "too high a price" for the conviction of Bellfield. | |
Chief Constable Rowley said victims and witnesses needed more protection during court cases. | |
He admitted the police made mistakes but told the BBC's Today programme that the "dignity and care that is lost in the treatment of victims and witnesses in sensitive cases is startling". | |
"People see, sometimes, the care of victims and witnesses as a nice moral add-on. It can't be that. | |
"They're the lifeblood of the system and unless we treat them carefully and thoughtfully, fundamentally it undermines the system in the long term. | |
"Somehow we need to find a different way into the system that looks at, with equal vigour, how can we care for the victims and witnesses in these cases, while testing the evidence, and how do we protect privacy as well. | "Somehow we need to find a different way into the system that looks at, with equal vigour, how can we care for the victims and witnesses in these cases, while testing the evidence, and how do we protect privacy as well. |
"I'm not saying never go personal, but if you go personal then for goodness sake, think about the dignity of the people involved." | "I'm not saying never go personal, but if you go personal then for goodness sake, think about the dignity of the people involved." |
'Extra anxiety' | |
Chief Constable Rowley also said it was a "most bizarre and distressing coincidence" that as the Dowler family were having their privacy "destroyed" footballers were being granted super-injuctions to protect details of their personal lives "when they make their living out of publicity". | |
He conceded the police investigation into Bellfield had not been "perfect", adding that he had spoken to the family of Marsha McDonnell, 19, who was murdered by Bellfield 11 months after he killed Milly Dowler. | |
"I told them there is some uncertainty about what could have been done differently at the start of the investigation. | |
"There's certain things I would like to have been done differently in terms of the house to house [inquiries] and the linking of incidents. | "There's certain things I would like to have been done differently in terms of the house to house [inquiries] and the linking of incidents. |
"Looking at it, it looks very unlikely it would have taken us to the answer more quickly but of course I can never be certain about that, and that adds extra anxiety and I've apologised to them about that." | "Looking at it, it looks very unlikely it would have taken us to the answer more quickly but of course I can never be certain about that, and that adds extra anxiety and I've apologised to them about that." |
Bellfield had also faced a charge of attempting to abduct Rachel Cowles, who is now 21, but the jury was discharged and there will be no retrial. | Bellfield had also faced a charge of attempting to abduct Rachel Cowles, who is now 21, but the jury was discharged and there will be no retrial. |
Defence lawyers cited an "avalanche of adverse publicity" following Bellfield's conviction on Thursday for murdering Milly. | Defence lawyers cited an "avalanche of adverse publicity" following Bellfield's conviction on Thursday for murdering Milly. |