Leveson courts review: Trials by jury could be scrapped for fraud and sexual assault cases in radical reforms to tackle court backlog
The right of a trial by the jury can be twisted for some sexual crimes under radical reforms that are taken into consideration by fraud cases and record court accumulation by the government.
The proposals announced by Sir Brian Leveson are defined as the most the most comprehensive transformation of the criminal courts in a generation, as some hearings in a new part of a judge and a new part of the Crown Court called for a shaking to be seen.
The 380 -page reform plan assigned by the government comes in a record that 76,957 cases are waiting to be heard in Crown courts in the UK and Wales and is listed until 2029.
Sir Brian’s suggestions designed to save 9,000 court seating every year include:
- In cases where the maximum penalty is sentenced to two years of imprisonment, the abolition of a jury trial
- The creation of a new Crown Court Court (CCBD) where a judge and two magistrate judges can hear the crime of ‘both ways’ without a jury
- The defendants encouraged to be guilty at the earliest opportunity with the maximum decrease in sentence length.
- Serious complex fraud cases felt by only one judge
- More cases were resolved from the court with the increase in the use of the warning
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who thinks about his advice, said that he will do whatever it takes to demolish accumulated jobs and offer faster justice for the victims ”.
The government is expected to fully respond before deciding which changes they have received in autumn.
Sir Brian, a former Supreme Court judge, said that we risk “total system collapse an without action and that the reforms were not small fine adjustments, but there were basic changes to make the system suitable for the 21st century.
“Delayed justice is considered good that justice is rejected, but record and rising court accumulation means that the victims, witnesses and defendants mean months, sometimes years, the cases cannot be tried – he cannot continue their lives.”
“This situation is not only acceptable. The suggestions I put forward represents a compatible reform package designed to turn our courts into a system that provides appropriate and fair decision -making.
“Furthermore, a fair trial maintains the basic right of the trial process requires a proportion to the trial processes.”
Sir Brian said that the penal judges should remain at maximum current 12 -month maximum criminal powers.
However, for the defendants accused of maximum two years or shorter crimes, a crown court asked the jury to be removed from the option to be tried. This may include people who have prohibited images of children and accused of benefit of benefit.
Instead of creating a new court system, he proposed to create a new counter section of the Crown Court to see some crimes tried by a judge surrounded by two magistrates.
Sexual assault, grooming and incest, such as some sexual crimes, maximum three years or short -term ‘counter’ section ‘assumed that there should be all the cases, he said.
He also said that if the defendants accept the judge of the trial, only one judge should have the option to choose the trial.
This will generally be valid for serious and complex fraud attempts that may include legal complexity levels beyond the understanding of the people.
In addition, the defendants called for a maximum decrease of sentence length to increase an early guilty objection to 40 percent to encourage the defendants to be guilty at the earliest opportunity.
The Magistrates’ Association welcomed the suggestions by saying that it would accelerate justice for thousands of people.
National President Mark Beattie said: “We call the government to implement the suggestions of Leveson as soon as possible. Every day is not in place, a day when the victims, witnesses and defendants have to wait for justice.”
However, the Legal Association warned that the government should not select cherries ”without examining them because they called for continuous investment to bring back from the threshold of the courts.
“The new part of the crown court will not solve Crown Court accumulation on its own,” said President Richard Atkinson.
“The government would undermine our historical jury system without any effect.
“Only the investment in the entire system has a chance to success since the time of prosecution of a crime from all stages at the police station and a crown court case.”
The victims commissioner Barones Newlove reiterated the call for proper finance of reforms.
“Victims need a system of justice, not in theory,” he said.
“This examination offers the best chance to correct it. The government must seize this opportunity without delay.”
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley admitted that there was a risk of “total system collapse olmayan without radical steps to reversed years of decline.
“It is not right for the more than 100 trial listed in London for 2029. This is often worse for the victims and all parties who rely on a properly functioning court system.
“I welcome this report and look forward to working with partners throughout the government to offer bold reforms that are now a necessity.”
