Latest news with #courtbacklog
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Rape victims failed by long court delays, Salford charity says
Victims of sexual assault and rape are being "failed by the system" as court backlogs reach a record high, a charity has Salford Survivor Project said the long delays for cases to go to trial were having a serious impact on victims' mental comes as two victims shared their torment over their continued wait to see if their cases would go to Ministry of Justice said the current government inherited a record and rising courts backlog and a plan was in place to tackle this. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Justice in March, the number of sexual offence cases waiting to go through the crown courts in the north-west of England had more than tripled between 2019 and the end of the end of last year, there were 1,790 open sexual offence cases in the North West - of which 762 were rape Gregory, chief executive of the Salford Survivor Project, said the judicial system was broken and changes were needed."Our voices are not being heard and victims are being failed," she also raised concerns over the length of time it takes to investigate sexual offence cases."We've had a number of victims that have been waiting - some as long ago as 2021 - and they have still not even been given a date of when their perpetrator is going to be charged never mind go to court," she said."And then there might be a two, three-year waiting list before they even go to court." 'Recurring nightmares' Lauren, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, made an allegation of sexual assault to police in 2021 – but the investigation is still ongoing."It's been horrible. I've been having recurring nightmares and anxiety and stress," she said."I just want to be able to get on with my life."It's been four years and that's been like torture."Emma, whose name has also been changed, made an allegation of rape to police in is still waiting to hear if the case will progress to court."I can't sleep at night I get nightmares and I'm constantly walking the streets scared I'll bump into him," she said."At times I think should I just drop it all for the sake of my mental health and my anxiety and then I'm just in two minds of what to do."A spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice said: "This government inherited a record and rising courts backlog – that's why we've asked Sir Brian Leveson to propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims."We're also providing funding for 110,000 sitting days this financial year, raising court capacity to the highest in almost ten years and are committed to working with our partners to deliver longer-term reform." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Reeves to give prosecutors extra £250m to tackle courts backlog
More prosecutors are to be recruited, as part of a £250 million courts cash injection to be announced by Rachel Reeves. The funding will tackle record legal backlogs which are forcing thousands of victims to wait more than two years for justice. Secured by Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, the money is a 10 per cent uplift for the period 2026-29. It will enable the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to recruit and retain hundreds of prosecutors to tackle the backlog of cases, which stood at a record 74,651 at the end of 2024. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is expected to emerge as one of the biggest winners in the spending review on Wednesday. The Chancellor will also confirm an extra £700 million to recruit more probation officers as part of an expansion of community punishments to ease prison overcrowding. Ms Mahmood has further secured a £4.7 billion capital investment to build new prisons to help meet the Government's target of 14,000 extra jail places by 2031. Three sites – HMPs Garth, Grendon and Gartree – have already been commissioned. The funding increase is a recognition of the political damage the Government could suffer if it fails to solve the prison overcrowding crisis and reduce court delays. Last year's early release of thousands of prisoners, including some who were filmed toasting Sir Keir Starmer, has been a major factor in undermining public confidence in Labour, according to opinion polls. A Treasury source said the cash injection would 'speed up justice for victims and witnesses waiting months or years for cases to come to trial, after the Government inherited a justice system on the brink of collapse and courts in crisis'. The source added: 'To battle the backlog, this new funding by 2028/29 will mean the CPS can recruit more Crown Advocates and front-line staff to prosecute cases and better support victims.' The MoJ is soon expected to announce the biggest shake-up in a generation of the court system, with thousands of suspects to be stripped of the right to a jury trial. The plans, to be outlined by Sir Brian Leveson, one of Britain's most senior judges, are expected to limit the number of such cases to help clear the backlog. Proposals being considered include the creation of an intermediate court comprising a judge and two magistrates to hear cases that would previously have gone to a lengthy crown court trial before a jury. It is understood Sir Brian has also been looking at the possibility of increasing magistrates' sentencing powers so that they would be able to rule on cases related to offences that carry prison sentences of up to two years. They can currently only imprison convicted offenders for up to a year. Any removal of jury trials is expected to prompt a fierce backlash from many within the legal profession. However, Ms Mahmood has already warned that without such action the court backlog could increase to an unprecedented 100,000 cases. The courts review, commissioned by Ms Mahmood, follows a sentencing review by David Gauke, the former Tory justice secretary, which recommended criminals should be freed as little as a third of the way into their sentences if they behave well and engage with rehabilitation schemes. The proposals, which have been accepted by the MoJ, will also allow killers, rapists and other violent offenders to be freed halfway through their terms rather than two-thirds, if they behave well and engage in training, education and work while behind bars. A Treasury source said: 'The criminal justice system was broken after 14 years of neglect. We need to rebuild not just the system itself, but confidence in it too. You can't make our streets safer if you don't have the resource to put dangerous suspects on trial. 'That's why the Chancellor is going to throw her backing behind battling the backlog in our courts, hiring more prosecutors and giving them the tools to deliver justice for victims as part of our Plan for Change.'
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Labour urged to publish rent reforms impact report as eviction delays soar
Ministers are being urged to publish a report into the impact of rental reforms on the courts as landlords face eight-month delays to repossess their property. Government departments are required to complete a justice impact assessment for any new bills that are likely to impact the UK courts system. Labour's Renters' Reform Bill is set to become law this summer and will include the removal of Section 21 'no-fault evictions'. There are fears the change will force landlords to rely on the courts to regain possession of their properties, adding to existing backlogs. Private landlords faced an eight-month wait from making a claim to the courts to their properties being repossessed in the first four months of 2025, according to the latest government data. Chris Norris, chief policy officer for the National Residential Landlords Association, said: 'The justice system is simply not ready for the impact of the Bill. 'In the interests of transparency, the Government should publish the Justice Impact test. The Government also needs to come clean about how it defines the courts being ready for the reforms. Warm words are no substitute for clear objectives for the justice system.' Justice impact assessments are an internal process and not usually published by government departments, but previous ministers have committed to publishing court reviews ahead of implementing rental reforms. The former Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee in a 2023 report said: 'It is not clear whether the Government fully appreciates the extent to which an unreformed courts system could undermine its tenancy reforms.' Furthermore, in a consultation in 2022, the then-government acknowledged that Section 21 was preferred by landlords to other means of eviction – such as Section 8 – as it was perceived as 'quicker and more certain'. Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society, said of the Renters' Rights Bill: 'The bill will not be effective without further investment in the justice system.' Mr Atkinson also urged the Government to 'provide greater funding and more clarity to the enforcement provisions so that justice is accessible to renters and landlords alike'. In addition to concerns about the justice system, a report has warned impacts of the bill will add almost £900 a year to the average tenancy. The legislation will limit landlords to just one rent increase per year capped at the 'market rate' – the price that would be achieved if the property was newly advertised to let. Landbay said property owners were planning to increase rent by an average of 6pc, which would add £74 to the average monthly rent, or £888 a year. Dr Neil Cobbold, director at property software company Reapit UKI, said: 'The Government's decision not to share the Renters' Rights Bill justice impact test raises serious questions about transparency and accountability. The estimate of changes in the number of court and tribunal cases is a vital tool for understanding how the legislation will affect the property sector – including case volumes – and whether the justice infrastructure is in place to support the change.' The Bill is currently going through the House of Lords before being sent back to the Commons and is expected to receive Royal Assent by summer 2025 and be implemented before the end of the year.
Times
19-05-2025
- Times
Courts backlog traps 3,700 cases of assaults on emergency workers
As many as 3,700 cases of assaults on emergency workers are trapped in the courts backlog and most are likely to be delayed for years, sources have told The Times. Analysis of the backlog at Wood Green, Isleworth and Snaresbrook crown courts in London showed that up to seven per cent of the cases involved assaults on police, ambulance crews and firefighters. A conservative extrapolation would put the national figure at about 3, backlog in the crown courts in England and Wales is about 75,000 and is understood still to be rising. • Proposals by Times Crime and Justice Commission could become law Prosecutors are attempting to crack down on violent offences against emergency workers but many of these cases will not come to
