Courts info system rollout complete

All 99 Crown courts in England and Wales are now using a computer system providing instant information to the public from across the criminal justice system.

Bolton Crown court is the final court to go live as part of a national project that has rolled out the new system in 16 months.

The system known as Xhibit provides faster information on court hearings to witnesses and police. Click here for photos of the system in operation.

Around 19,000 hearing updates and 2,000 documents such as lists, orders and results are sent to the Xhibit Portal every day, helping court users obtain case details faster.

Court users are also updated on the progress of a case via via text, email or pager message. The public can also track court hearings online or via public display screens in the court building.

Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said in a statement.

"Xhibit is an example of courts using technology to improve the way they communicate with the public and adds up to a better deal for victims and witnesses in the court process. It is a practical measure that will help make it easier for victims under great pressure."

And Adrian McAllister, IT benefits realisation lead for the UK Police Service said that Xhibit means other systems such as the Police National Computer can be updated quicker.

"This is of particular benefit to staff working in Witnesses Care Teams whose role is to keep witnesses and victims up to date on the progress of cases; it also helps in operational decision-making when, for example, a warrant has been issued or where bail has been granted or varied," he said in a statement.