Police to use video ID parades

Police say the new system will be fairer for victims and suspects

Victims and witnesses of crime will not have to come face to face with suspects in ID parades thanks to a computer system now being used by Jersey police.

A new £20,000 video identity parade system uses a database of more than 9,000 images from around the British Isles.

It means suspects will have a digital photograph taken of them, which is then shown to the witness while mixed in with a line-up of seven other faces from the database.

Police also say the new system should result in a fairer parade for suspects.

Inspector Jeremy Crow said it will make the process less daunting for victims of crime.

He said: "I'm sure it will be of great advantage use to a witness or, in particular, a victim of crime in that they have no contact with a suspect at all.

"At most, they are seeing a video image of that person and don't even have to be in the same room as them."