An award-winning computer system that relays information about cases to court users in minutes has been launched in Birmingham - but missed out the judges.

The system, eXchanging Hearing Information By Internet Technologyct (XHIBIT), enables police, prosecutors, witnesses, magistrates' courts, victim support and the Crown Prosecution Service to obtain case details in minutes rather than days.

It was launched by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, at Birmingham Crown Court.

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The only court users who have not been given access to the revolutionary time-saving system are judges - and they were not pleased.

Judge Alistair McCreath said: "Judges do not have access to the new system. It is an absolute outrage that we don't. We have been excluded.

"The original specification was to allow judges to have read-only access, and I see no reason for that access to be denied."

He said the XHIBIT icon had appeared on judges' computer screens, but did not work.

Lord Falconer said it had been an oversight, and judges in other parts of the country where the system is already in use had been given access.

He said: "Judges in Birmingham should be able to use XHIBIT and we are going to make sure that happens.

"This system has already been a great success. Everybody seems to like it, and even the judges, who don't have it, want it."

The system can update people on the progress of a case by text message, email or pager, rather than by post. The public can also track court hearings online or on public display screens in the court building.

Lord Falconer said: "Giving evidence in court is daunting at the best of times, but even more so if a witness has to wait for an unpredictable length of time.

"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."

The system allows courts to save paper by reducing big bundles of court notes to small electronic documents.