Crown court backlog grows

There is an increasing backlog of cases in the crown courts, new government figures have revealed. 

As at 22 November, 53,318 cases were outstanding compared to 50,373 on 4 October 2020, according to data from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

The pre-covid baseline was 30,935.

Law Society of England and Wales president David Greene commented: “The result is that justice is being delayed for victims, witnesses and defendants, who have proceedings hanging over them for months, if not years, with trials now being listed for 2022.”

He added: “It is clear that the need for additional court capacity to enable jury trials to take place safely is ever increasing. “

He urged the Ministry of Justice and HMCTS to make “maximum use of normal court hours and the existing court estate, quickly take up further building space and avoid any restrictions on judges sitting while there are court rooms (real, virtual or Nightingale) available”.'¯ 

The Society remains sceptical that so-called covid-hours have delivered any significant additional court capacity.

Greene said it is still concerned about the significant impact of extended hours on court users, legal practitioners and how the justice system functions. 
 
“We believe'¯the additional resources it takes to'¯run'¯covid'¯operating hours'¯should”, he added, “be used to'¯open'¯additional Nightingale Courts'¯– which would increase court capacity and do much more to reduce the case backlogs.”'¯'¯ 

The backlog in the magistrates’ courts is receding – there were 479,489 cases outstanding as at 22 November, 20,783 fewer than on 4 October.