Juries to be scrapped in thousands of cases, David Lammy confirms
David Lammy confirms ‘bold but necessary’ change to UK court system
- Justice Secretary David Lammy announced reforms to the criminal court system in England and Wales, introducing 'swift courts' to address the growing backlog.
- The reforms will remove the right to a jury trial for 'either-way' cases with a likely jail sentence of three years or less, including offences like burglary and theft.
- Lammy justified the changes as 'bold but necessary' to tackle 'agonising delays' in the system, with the crown court backlog projected to reach 100,000 by 2028.
- The proposals have drawn criticism from legal professionals and political opponents, who warn of eroding individual rights and question their effectiveness in reducing the backlog.
- Additional measures include increasing magistrates' sentencing powers to up to 18 months and allocating £550m to victim support services over the next three years.