Letter to the Editor – Court numbers and closures
Your Say / Thu 4th Dec 2025 at 03:06pm
IT cannot be argued that the current criminal justice system in England and Wales is in a total and utter mess. In my experience it has been underfunded since 2010.
Indeed following a question I asked of the sitting MP in my area, Robert Halfon, at the local general election husting’s in 2019 where the court backlog was then at 32,000, he stated it was due to a piece of paper in the UK Treasury that said “there is no money left”. A disgraceful answer at best, pathetic at worst.
Now after 800 years of jury trials this disgusting government wants to restrict this part of our unwritten constitution to everyone in England and Wales.
The reason is the backlog in the courts that is now over 78,000. Not for any known legal principle of justice, but to get the backlog reduced. No matter that it may result in many more miscarriages of justice that would block up the Court of Appeal as a consequence.
If this government was serious about sorting out the backlog they would deliver an holistic approach to include, inter alia, the probation service that is understaffed, the prison service that is also understaffed and lacks experienced officers, the police services that are massively understaffed, the judges and magistrates’ understaffed, and court closures.
Will it change under the measures proposed by the Lord Chancellor? No.
Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts
2025-12-04 16:09:12
I now include the figures relating to criminal law courts in England and Wales between 2010 and 2019: Magistrates courts closed 162 out of 323 in 2010; Crown courts closed 8 out of 92 in 2010, County courts closed 90 out of 240 in 2010.
Matthew Gillman
2025-12-04 17:10:56
Labour: the party for despots.
Pink haired Mary
2025-12-04 23:55:49
The civil court in Harlow closed in 2011. Now people have to travel to Chelmsford for divorces and small claims. We should still have this service in Harlow. It was cut by the Tories due to austerity .
David Forman
2025-12-05 09:38:30
Dear Gary, the right to due process and judgement by one's peers (jury) is from the 1297 Magna Carta, clause 39 which is still law. In parliament on December 2, Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan said: "I declare an interest as a practising criminal barrister. Before the Justice Secretary tears up clause 39 of Magna Carta, which guaranteed that no free person shall be imprisoned except by the lawful judgment of their peers, I ask him to consider that, when I was in the Crown court in Birmingham only a few weeks ago, a matter was delayed and adjourned because we did not have courtroom availability, so eliminating jurors will not solve the backlog in the way he has described, but it will erode public confidence in the principles that have protected our justice system for over 800 years. I accept that justice delayed is justice denied, but I am sure that he understands that justice must not only be done, but be seen to be done, and that can only be done through juries." https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-12-02/debates/35A0DBE7-1ABC-44B5-A3EA-0B3BA8C2E488/CriminalCourtReform
David Forman
2025-12-05 09:54:07
When Justice Secretary David Lammy announced his new jury free trials he forgot that Sir Brian Leveson recommended judge only trials in triable either way cases would be accompanied by two magistrates. Lammy is also restricting appeals following magistrates court cases. What did Chris Vince do on December 2 in parliament? He played Lammy's lapdog by asking a question to cue the stock answer by Lammy. Rather than defend juries Chris Vince played lapdog. View the Hansard contribution by Chris Vince on Tuesday 2 December 2025 https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-12-02/debates/35A0DBE7-1ABC-44B5-A3EA-0B3BA8C2E488/CriminalCourtReform#contribution-6165BF2C-557C-4E21-B776-8D662BEF67EC
David Forman
2025-12-05 10:44:05
When Justice Secretary David Lammy announced his new jury free trials he forgot that Sir Brian Leveson recommended judge only trials in triable either way cases would be accompanied by two magistrates. Lammy is also restricting appeals following magistrates court cases. What did Chris Vince do on December 2 in parliament? Rather than defend juries Chris Vince played lapdog. View the Hansard contribution by Chris Vince on Tuesday 2 December 2025 https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-12-02/debates/35A0DBE7-1ABC-44B5-A3EA-0B3BA8C2E488/CriminalCourtReform#contribution-6165BF2C-557C-4E21-B776-8D662BEF67EC
Val
2025-12-05 17:05:45
This initiative has deep constitutional and civil liberties implications and is being presented in a very cavalier manner as an administrative expediency. It is not. It is far more sinister. Jury trials are not the cause for the delays. Furthermore, less than 3% of criminal cases go to trial by jury. The vast majority are dealt with by the Magistrates court without a jury. The delays are a result of: a) closure of courts and many court buildings in a state of disrepair b) court operating hours - they start at around 10:30, adjourn for lunch and finish a 4:30 pm If we have a backlog, surely a comparatively modest amount of funds could have allocated in the Budget instead of the massive benefits bonanza to reopen and repair courts. Why can't courts operate on a 24/7 shift basis until the backlog is addressed? Why should the legal profession enjoy privileges during a crisis. As mentioned the real motives behind this move are far more sinister. This government abhors our ancient rights as juries comprise regular citizens who bring common sense and democratic element to our justice system - a system that has been emulated by the entire civilised English speaking world: Australia, Canada, New Zealand and USA - citizens who cannot be controlled or influenced by government. Socialists abhor everything they cannot control. This abomination must be rigorously opposed as must their police state initiative to introduce ID cards. This is the worst, most cynical and discredited government in living memory.
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