Jury trials to be cut to reduce backlog

JURY trials in some cases will be scrapped and so-called “swift courts” set up in England and Wales, the Justice Secretary has announced.

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Currently, jury trials make up 3% of cases but this will be curbed further as David Lammy confirmed yesterday they would be reserved for “indictable-only” offences such as murder and rape, and lesser “either-way” offences with a likely sentence of more than three years in prison.

Mr Lammy, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, told MPs reforms are “desperately needed” as victims face “agonising delays” in the system, with the crown court backlog projected to reach 100,000 by 2028. “I'm clear that jury trials will continue to be the cornerstone of the system for the most serious offences,’ he said. “We must be honest that this is a problem that has taken years to build up, it will take years to fix. The changes I’m proposing will require legislation, it will take time to implement. Our investment will also need time to have an effect.”