Responding to the publication of the quarterly criminal courts statistics (January-March 2021), which show both the number Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court cases waiting to be heard increasing, Chair of the Bar Council, Derek Sweeting QC, said:
"The latest figures show that the backlog of cases waiting to be heard is growing in the Crown Court and Magistrates' Court. In the recent Rape Review the Government committed to significant increases in the number of cases that will be brought to court. Greater numbers of police officers will only increase these pressures in the coming years. Unless the Government urgently commits to long term and sustained investment in the courts and the wider justice system, the number of cases stuck in the courts will continue to rise.
"Behind every number in this backlog are victims of crime, defendants, witnesses and their families, putting their lives on hold while they wait years to see justice done."
Ends