78,000-case backlog: UK plans to limit jury trials to serious crimes

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy will set out the Government’s response to recommendations made by Sir Brian Leveson (Jacob King/PA) Jacob King

Justice Secretary David Lammy has unveiled plans to limit jury trials in England and Wales to tackle a record-high court backlog of more than 78,000 cases. The Deputy Prime Minister announced Tuesday that jury trials could be reserved for the most serious offences like rape and murder, while expanding magistrates' powers to handle more cases.

In an interview with the Times, Lammy accused defendants of "playing the system" by opting for lengthy jury trials. On BBC Breakfast, he gave a pointed example: "What I mean by that is, if you steal an iPhone this afternoon from Currys, should you be able to opt to have a jury? The trial may take two days, and inevitably, that will cause further delay for more serious and egregious crimes like rape or murder." He emphasized: "I want to be absolutely clear, juries remain fundamental to our system."

The Crown Court backlog has reached crisis levels, with courts now scheduling trials as far as 2030. Ministers have warned the backlog could reach 100,000 cases by 2028 without intervention. The delays have led a growing number of victims to abandon seeking justice entirely.

Legal profession rejects reforms

The proposals face fierce opposition from legal experts. Bar Council chairwoman Barbara Mills warned Tuesday that replacing juries with single judges would damage public trust. She said: "We have continuously opposed proposals to curtail jury trials because there is no evidence that their removal would reduce the backlog, nor has it been set out how an alternative system would be resourced." Mills cited a 2017 Lord Chancellor report confirming juries enjoy public trust because they deliver equitable findings regardless of ethnicity.

The Criminal Bar Association's Riel Karmy-Jones criticized the Government more sharply. She said Tuesday: "The Government talks about its commitment to protect its citizens from harm, violence and sexual offences, but is eviscerating that protection by eroding the public's right to trial by jury." She blamed delays on underfunding, listing "the artificial cap on sitting days, the crumbling courts, the inadequate technology, the failure to deliver prisoners to court on time, the lack of interpreters, and issues with funding of expert witnesses."

The Law Society of England and Wales called broader proposals to remove juries from most Crown Court cases an "extreme measure" lacking "real evidence" of effectiveness. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick accused Lammy of abandoning his principles.

Leveson recommendations

The reforms follow recommendations from Sir Brian Leveson published in July. He proposed diverting more offences to magistrates' courts, reserving jury trials for "indictable-only" cases, and allowing judge-only trials for complex fraud cases. Lammy's proposals signal support for limiting jury trials to the most serious offences.

Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).