Justice system on the brink as Britain faces a trial of its own

Our judicial system is creaking to say the least.

- with Joe Riley

Some would argue already falling apart in plain sight.The mistaken early release of prisoners -12 last month alone - is due to a botched non-computerised system of calculated assessment which relies on tiresome and copious paperwork.

It arises due to the stampede to ease overcrowding which would shortly see jails in England and Wales reach capacity of just short of 90,000. But that's just part of the problem.

An equally pressing catastrophe in the making is the burgeoning queue to try cases leading to convictions, which under present generally tougher sentencing guidelines, would require whole new prison estates rather than a few cell vacancies. It is therefore the entire process from trial to release that is making for grave misgivings.

So perhaps it was inevitable that deputy prime minister and justice secretary David Lammy, caught, so to speak, between a dock (sic) and a hard place, has ventured into the conversation concerning the scrapping of jury trials for what are regarded as less serious offences.