Trials by jury could be scrapped for fraud and sexual assault cases in radical reforms to tackle court backlog
Proposals would see ‘most sweeping transformation of criminal courts in a generation’
- The government is considering radical court reforms, proposed by Sir Brian Leveson, to tackle record backlogs in the justice system.
- Key proposals include removing the automatic right to a jury trial for certain fraud and sexual offence cases, with some trials instead heard by a judge and two magistrates in a new Crown Court division.
- These reforms aim to address a backlog of nearly 77,000 Crown Court cases, some scheduled until 2029, which Sir Brian warns could lead to "total system collapse."
- Further recommendations include stripping defendants of the jury trial option for crimes with a maximum sentence of two years or less, and increasing the maximum sentence reduction for early guilty pleas to 40 per cent.
- While welcomed by some, such as the Magistrates’ Association, the Law Society cautions against "cherry picking" reforms, stressing the need for sustained investment across the entire justice system.