FAMILIES of murder and manslaughter victims will lobby Parliament next month to improve victims' rights.

The North of England Victims Association and Support After Murder and Manslaughter, based in Teesside, will join other organisations from across the country to petition for empowerment and transparency in the criminal justice system (CJS) on March 2 at noon.

The mass lobby, by an umbrella body of 14 national victims organisations called Victim's Voice, believes UK victims are treated worse than their European counterparts.

It says in many European courts, victims are central to the criminal justice system but UK victims are denied the same access.

Campaigner Sandra Sullivan said: "We are simply asking for a CJS where bereaved families become empowered through interactive participation, instead of being forced to be passive observers."

The organisation said the present system was closed to families wishing to be involved or who wanted to better understand court proceedings and judgements.

Many believe murderers are given lenient sentences and preferential treatment while the victim's family is excluded.

A spokesman said that at present bereaved families have no locus standi (the right to act or be heard) as an interested party during the trial because the crime is not committed against them but against the Crown.

It said one murder victim's family had to pay £30,000 for a copy of the trial papers in order to prove to the judiciary that the trial had been misconducted.