Crime victims waiting longer than at any time in last 15 years for trial

By The Press Association23rd June 2015News EnglandCourts / Justice, News England, Victim Support

Serious criminal cases are taking longer to process than at any point in the last 15 years, according to research by a victims’ charity.

The analysis of Ministry of Justice statistics show that the average time it takes for a contested case to be listed for trial at a crown court has increased by 55% to 29 weeks over the same period.

The Victim Support study highlighted a backlog more than 54,000 outstanding cases at crown courts in England and Wales at the end of 2014, up 75% since 2000.

The total time from an offence being committed to the conclusion of criminal proceedings in a crown court is now more than 10 months on average, the figures show.

The Victim Support analysis came as Justice Secretary Michael Gove promised major reforms to the “creaking, outdated system” in the courts.

Victim Support chief executive Mark Castle said: “As a charity that helps hundreds of thousands of victims and witnesses, we know how much unnecessary anguish and anxiety is caused by court delays and we welcome the Justice Secretary’s bold intervention on this issue.

“Our analysis of court data has found that victims of crime are now waiting longer than ever for their cases to come to the crown court while there has been an alarming rise in the backlog of unheard trials.

“These delays make it harder for victims to recover from their ordeals and may diminish the quality of evidence which witnesses are able to provide, making it harder for the courts themselves to deliver justice.

“We are grateful that the Justice Secretary has taken the time to witness these issues first hand and welcome his commitment to making sure the courts get a grip on this worsening situation.”