Prosecution backlog: London criminal trials redistributed to other areas
London criminal trials have reportedly been redistributed to other areas of the country in a bid to ease a mounting backlog as a result of the pandemic.
Cases risk being delayed by months unless they are transferred, as the capital’s crown court backlog has hit 60,000 cases so far this year, according to data from the Ministry of Justice – the highest since records began.
London’s crown court cases now also make up around a quarter of total cases across England and Wales combined.
Many have spoken out against the backlog, as it can draw out painful processes for victims and weaken testimonies during massive waiting times – sometimes stretching out to a year-long.
Prosecutions involving vulnerable witnesses and child sex abuse allegations have been transferred from Kingston to crown courts in Swindon and Winchester, so they can be put before juries faster.
Only two cases have been transferred so far, the Evening Standard first reported, while the Ministry of Justice has said there are no plans more a major redistribution of cases from London.
The UK’s prosecution watchdog, the HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, in March urged that with some court dates being pushed back until 2023, even staff were at “breaking point”.