Backlog of Crown court cases starts to stabilise
updated on 18 May 2021
The backlog in Crown court cases has started to stabilise at 58,000 cases.
On 25 April 2021 Crown court cases had fallen from 58,056 (the previous week) to 57,894, according to figures published by HM Courts & Tribunals Service last week. Meanwhile, after court disposals fell to 3,123 in April 2020 – a month after the UK went into national lockdown – they have since increased to 9,583 in March 2021.
The number of outstanding Crown court cases pre-pandemic was just under 40,000, with more than 2,000 disposals being issued on a weekly basis.
The Law Gazette reported that over the next financial year there will be no cap on judicial sitting days to help reduce the backlog. A spokesperson for The Ministry of Justice said: “As we continue to boost recovery in the courts following the pandemic, this will help them maximise capacity across the justice system and safely hold as many hearings as possible over the coming year.”
However, agreements for 12 out of the 30 Nightingale courts are due to expire in June.
Law Society President I. Stephanie Boyce commented: “The latest Crown court backlog figures show more than 57,000 outstanding cases, resulting in unacceptable delays in accessing justice for victims, witnesses and defendants.
“Some trials are being listed for 2023 with the pandemic having exacerbated the effect of decades of underfunding and cuts on the criminal courts. The government must maximise the existing court capacity as we emerge from lockdown and boost capacity through many more Nightingale courts to increase the number of jury trials that can take place.”
