Beverley Hughes, regional minister for the North West, visited the National Centre for Restorative Justice in Winckley Square, Preston, on Monday find out more about the project.

The three-year pilot - in which offenders are brought before their victims - has been slammed by Tory shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert.

And only 18 cases have been through the panels since the end of November, despite targets aiming to deal with 25 every month.

The peer panels scheme must "show some real results", said Mrs Hughes, minister for the North West.

Mrs Hughes, who is also children's minister, told the project's management: "The best way to deal with that is to try and make sure you can show some real results as soon as possible."

People aged 10 to 17, who have committed anti-social behaviour or low-level crime, voluntarily attend the centre to come before their 'peers' who wear black gowns.

A room is set out with a circle of seats for the offender, their family, and others including the police.

A contract to make amends, such as an apology or cleaning graffiti, is then drawn up between the group – on which volunteers aged 15 to 22 sit.

In response to claims the panels are a gimmick, Mrs Hughes said: "I think that's a very premature judgement to put it kindly.

"As we have seen here we've got some fantastic volunteers who are giving up their time to make this work and I think we should give it a bit more time before we issue judgement."

The project is run by Nacro, the crime reduction charity, at a cost of £650,000.

Mrs Hughes said: "We know from other countries that if you can get a young person to understand and face up to the impact of what they're doing then it can have a big impact in terms of changing their behaviour."

Have you been before the restorative justice panel? If so, email melanie.wallwork@lep.co.uk

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