More funding for judges to tackle record court delays
BBCMinisters have pledged to increase the number of judges hearing criminal cases in an attempt to cut unprecedented backlog and delays in the Crown Courts in England and Wales.
The Justice Department announced that the judges will be funded in more courts than before, as two highly critical reports say victims of crime are failing.
Baroness Newlove, the victims’ chief, said some victims’ delays in their appeal to drugs, alcohol and self-harm have traumatized them.
New funding means judges can hear cases in the Crown Court, with a total of 110,000 days, and Minister Hope will begin to cut a record backlog of 73,000 unresolved prosecutions.
It is often told that the suspect was charged with a new crime today and that the trial is not possible until 2027 – some courts are already looking for diary space in 2028.
The delays were caused by a court ruling, the pandemic, and lawyer strikes – which also resulted in a record 17,000 defendants in remand and occupied one-fifth of the space in a crisis-stalking prison.
Last November, Mrs. Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr told parliament that she had enough judges to sit in court for 113,000 days a year.
She said the workday cap had a “severe effect” and that her local leaders had to reschedule cases and cancel jobs to part-time judges, who were crucial to clearing the backlog.
Attorney General Shabana Mahmood said: “The government inherited a record and a rising court backlog, and the justice delayed and rejected too many victims.
“Relying on backlogs is an important part of our change plan to get justice for criminals to ensure our streets are safe.”
Mahmood said recommendations on how to speed up ongoing reviews in criminal courts will play a key role in reducing the backlog.
But the two reports raised questions about the speed of government action.
Victim Director Baroness Newlove said in a report released Tuesday that many victims felt “out of reach” with many victims, which caused additional trauma.
A woman who suffered sexual abuse attempted to commit suicide after the assailant’s trial.
Baroness Nurov urged the government to reverse the plan’s cuts by about 4% in exchange for vital victim support services, warning that it was “tremendous pressure” because the delays mean they are dealing with more customers.
“As the cuts approach, we face a very real threat to reduce support,” she said.
“I’m worried that this will drive some victims to seek justice altogether – the second injustice, complicating the first.”
Additionally, the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee said Moj’s “acceptance” the court’s delays became increasingly severe until the main review led by retired judge Sir Brian Leveson made recommendations to reform the court.
The report said the court could not keep up with the pace of new cases reaching the door.
Sir Jeffrey Clifton Brown, chairman of the committee, said: “Our report is a horrible prosecution of our criminal justice system and the government urgently needs to reorganize it in a desire to achieve world-class standards that were previously enjoyed.”
Mary Prior KC, president of the Crime Bar Association, which represents the Bar Association, said 110,000 rest days are the minimum required since 2022.
“We welcome these extra rest days…but to do our best to reduce the backlog, we must require a rateless rest day at Crown Court at least for the next five years.”
