The BBC has responded to hundreds of viewers who complained about violent scenes in BBC One's Silent Witness.

BBC: Silent Witness prompts almost 500 complaints to the

"Silent Witness overran the billed finish time by 90 seconds and the news was two minutes late, " it said.

BBC: Silent Witness 'broke BBC rules'

The BBC's HD channel has been running test transmissions on satellite and cable since last year, showing such programmes as Bleak House and Silent Witness.

BBC: RELATED BBC SITES

Rose and Maloney, featuring a pair of would-be investigators, attracted 2 million fewer viewers than the final episode of BBC1's Silent Witness, which drew 7.1 million viewers.

BBC: Michael Jackson

In explaining his decision, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski of the federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals chided the prosecution for remaining "unconstitutionally silent" on the "history of misconduct" of its key witness, a Phoenix police detective.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Jeffs, who had stood expressionless and silent before the jury for nearly half hour during his closing arguments, called only one defence witness to the stand - a man who read from Mormon scripture.

BBC: Warren Jeffs, polygamist sect leader, gets life in jail