"I have given my word to campaigners on violence against women and girls and to victims that I will do everything within my power to make sure they get justice. And they have to wait so long they're not getting justice, so many of them fall away, pull out because they're waiting too long, and I'm not prepared to allow that to happen for any longer, which is why we're taking these measures."
"I've been working with victims of crime for a very long time, and they have to wait too long for justice. And I'm not just talking about a Covid problem. I have given my word to campaigners on violence against women and girls and to victims that I will do everything within my power to make sure they get justice."
The government plans to halve the number of jury trials in England and Wales by using judge-only trials for less serious cases to cut a huge backlog built up during the Covid pandemic. The measure aims to speed up justice for victims who currently wait long periods, causing many to withdraw from prosecutions. Only about 3% of criminal cases currently reach a jury trial, so the change would affect a small proportion of cases. Latest Ministry of Justice figures show more than 79,600 criminal cases in the backlog, projected to reach 100,000 by 2028. Some MPs and campaigners warn that judge-only trials could undermine public trust and have limited impact on delays.
Read at www.bbc.com
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