The Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police has said the country's justice system is a 'game' rather than a search for truth.

Speaking ahead of today's launch of a campaign to reform the criminal trial system, Sir Charles Pollard claimed major criminals are increasingly taking advantage of a host of legal technicalities to get off the hook, while witnesses are intimidated and victims ignored.

He particularly criticised defence lawyers, accusing them of doing little more than muddying the waters and harassing prosecutors.

Sir Charles insisted the process must be modernised to restore plummeting public confidence.

He said: "The courtroom has become too much the place for legal games to be played between lawyers, rather than for getting at the truth.

"All too often, particularly in more serious crimes, the objective of the defence is to delay, to muddy the waters and to harass the prosecution, rather than to participate genuinely in an analysis of the available facts.

"We all have our part to play in reforming the criminal justice system and no one is denying the police service itself needs to reform as much as other organisations. But the end process, the trial, must also change."

Today, Sir Charles was launching Search for Truth, an initiative by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), which calls for a major overhaul of the criminal trial procedure. The national campaign is spearheaded by Thames Valley Police and calls for reforms including:

A right of appeal for the prosecution in serious cases where rulings have resulted in the premature termination of the case

Separate waiting areas in courts for victims and witnesses and better use of technology to allow remote giving of evidence

Better case management to allow for speedier trials which focus on the facts of the case.