Victims of crime are to be told why charges against suspects are being dropped or down-graded.

The Crown Prosecution Service is introducing the move as part of a drive to give the victim a higher priority within the criminal justice system.

Previously, it was the police's responsibility to keep victims informed of a prosecution's progress.

But following recommendations in the Macpherson Report into the death of Stephen Lawrence, the CPS now liaises directly with victims. The CPS in Oxfordshire launched its Direct Communication with Victims initiative this month.

CPS lawyer Sue Davies said: "We recognise that the CPS is not only in a better position than the police to explain its decision to victims, but that it has moral responsibility to do so.

"The police may not understand or agree with the decision, so it is not right to expect them to continue to have the responsibility of explaining our decision to the victim."