'Only fundamental reform can give brave survivors of crime fairer and faster justice'

CROWN COURT BACKLOG CRISIS NEARS NEW RECORD OF 80,000 CASES

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THE crown court backlog in England and Wales has risen to nearly 80,000 cases in a new record.

Data published last week showed the open caseload (number of outstanding cases) was 79,619 at the end of September, up two per cent from 78,096 at the end of June.

It is also up nine per cent from the same point a year earlier, according to Ministry of Justice figures.

The number of cases open for a year or more passed 20,000 for the first time at 20,155 at the end of September, which is up 25 per cent year on year, and up six per cent from the end of June.

Earlier this month, Justice Secretary David Lammy set out plans to reform the courts system, following recommendations from a review by Sir Brian Leveson published earlier this year.

This included scrapping jury trials for some cases and creating new swift courts within crown courts for a lone judge to hear cases instead.

Magistrates’ powers will also be increased to be able to hand down sentences of up to 18 months’ imprisonment, up from 12 months currently, so they will be able to deal with more cases.