The parents of an 18-year-old murdered in the street have spent Restorative Justice Week telling school children how even the smallest decisions can have an enormous impact on people's lives.

Chris Donovan was beaten unconscious while walking home through Ewell with his brother Phil after a night out in 2001.

They were set on by three youngsters who left Chris lying in the road where he was hit by a passing car, although medical experts said during the murder trial the following year that he had already sustained fatal injuries.

After the trial his parents Ray and Vi Donovan, of Clyde Road, Sutton, said "We have felt deep anger towards the defendants but are determined to forgive them for the grievous wrong they have done."

They set up The Chris Donovan Trust, campaigning to put the victim at the heart of the criminal justice system and to give those who have suffered the opportunity to meet the criminals who have changed their lives forever - something they have done themselves when they met their son's killers after they finished their life sentences.

The process, they say, is having an enormous impact on repeat offenders with 25 per cent not going on to offend again and for every £1 spent on the scheme the Ministry of Justice says it is saving £8.

The couple have spent the week at the Ministry Of Justice (MOJ), which annouced an additional £30 million for restorative justice, visiting schools and raising awareness of their charity.

On November 17 Ray and Vi took over the MOJ's Twitter account hosting a public question and answer session, and gave a school presentation titled "Five minutes of Madness."

Mr Donovan, 63, said: "We do the talk to show that a small decision can lead to something big.

"We talk about police, their job, what they do, and how they do it and how they are human beings.

"It's about the ripple effect of crime.

"We draw circles and in the middle we put Chris' name, then we put all the people involved in it.

"You can't ring your job or call the hospital.

"We didn't tell the children what to say"

Restorative Justice Week, is being supported by the Restorative Justice Council, WhyMe? and the Chris Donovan Trust, with this year's theme being "What would you do?". It aims to encourage people to think about whether they would meet somebody who committed a crime against them.

Mrs Donovan, 60, added: "We look at both sides including the person who committed the crime.

"We look at both sides. A restorative approach realises that they have family and when they do things it doesn't just impact the people directly involved but the (criminal's) family as well."

"Crime affects everybody, not just one person.

"With the mobile phone example the children picked out that if effected 10 people."

Ray said: "If you have a major crime the ripples get even bigger.

"The community is impacted by major crimes, they react and get angry."

Vi added: "How many parents carry their children's guilt?

"Restorative justice means that for the first time in British justice history the victims get a voice.

"When you went to court before you were ignored, you just sat there watching a show.

"The justice system used to just be 'what was the crime, who is to blame and what is the punishment?

"Today it is 'who has been hurt, what are their needs, how can we help them' it's about the victim."

Ray and Vi's charity, the Chris Donovan Trust, was set up in their son's memory to give talks in schools, offender institutions and prisons to highlight the consequences of extreme behaviour and to raise awareness of the benefits of restorative justice. For further information visit: www.chrisdonovantrust.org.