Extra funding for courts will improve justice
Victims will benefit from faster trials as the Crown Court receives additional funding for more sitting days
In a significant move aimed at expediting justice for victims, the UK government has announced additional funding that will enable the Crown Court to sit for an unprecedented number of days this year. Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy, will reveal during his speech at the opening of the legal year that the Crown Court will now have a total of 111,250 sitting days. This allows for an increase of 5,000 days compared to the previous year and marks a record-setting effort to tackle the backlog of cases.
The government's decision to allocate an extra 1,250 sitting days is pivotal in ensuring that more cases are heard this financial year. David Lammy noted, "The Crown Court backlog we inherited stands at over 78,000 and behind each case is a real person, waiting years for justice." By enhancing the court’s capacity to hear trials, victims can expect their day in court to come sooner, which also helps to hold more criminals accountable for their actions.
This funding boost is part of the government's broader Plan for Change, which focuses on revitalising the justice system. Lammy added, "That is why we are acting with the biggest investment on record as part of our Plan for Change." The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledges that while this investment is a step in the right direction, comprehensive reforms are desperately needed to address the underlying issues facing the courts.
Current statistics indicate that there are 78,329 cases pending in Crown Courts, which unfortunately leads to victims waiting three to four years for their trials. To explore solutions for reform, Sir Brian Leveson is conducting an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Lammy is carefully considering the proposals from the initial phase of this review, and the government intends to respond in due course.
The outcomes of this review align with the government’s commitment to safer streets, which involves mitigating the court backlog, expediting hearings for both victims and defendants, and ultimately restoring public confidence in the criminal justice system