Lammy to scrap jury trials for all but the most serious cases

Lammy’s proposals, which would create a new tier of court in which most criminal offences would be tried by judges alone, go well beyond the recommendations of Sir Brian Leveson, who was commissioned to review the criminal courts and reported in July. They also exceed the plan to stop criminals “gaming the system” which was set out by courts minister Sarah Sackman in an interview with the Guardian last week.

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had been circulated throughout Whitehall in preparation for an announcement in the new year.

The MoJ document, circulated in Whitehall earlier this month, reports that crown courts are facing record backlogs, with more than 78,000 cases waiting to be completed.

Leveson recommended the government should end jury trial for many serious offences that could be dealt with by a judge alone or sitting with two magistrates. The former judge suggested they would preside over a new intermediate tier of criminal court, which has been called the crown court bench division (CCBD).

The deputy prime minister’s decision, according to the leaked MoJ document, is to “go further than Sir Brian’s to achieve maximum impact”.

The document, first disclosed by the BBC, said Lammy wanted to “introduce trial by judge alone for cases involving fraud and financial offences - if the judge considers the case to be suitably technical and lengthy. Exclusions for rape, murder, manslaughter and public interest.”