Barristers raise objections to holding trials without a jury

LORD LEVESON'S RECOMMENDATIONS AIM TO REDUCE BACKLOG OF COURT CASES

- By MARTIN NAYLOR

BARRISTERS in Nottingham and the East Midlands have roundly criticised a recommendation to hold some trials without a jury.

The idea was put forward as part of proposals to reduce the backlog of cases in the criminal courts.

Suggested by former judge Sir Brian Leveson, who was asked to review the state of the much-criti-cised system, which currently has a backlog of more than 70,000 cases, if introduced it could apply to serious fraud and bribery cases as well as some of the more complex sex cases.

It could also see some defendants tried in a new tier of court by just a judge and two magistrates.

But not all of those who work in the criminal justice system locally agree with what is in the near-400 page report.

Nottingham-based criminal barrister and former Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry said: "I profoundly disagree with some of his proposals. A new tier of court will not reduce the backlog as we don't have enough judges, we don't have enough barristers and we don't have enough criminal solicitors.