Senior judge Sir Brian Leveson unveils radical proposals to clear huge backlog in crown courts in England and Wales
Thousands of defendants in England and Wales could lose the right to a jury trial under plans designed to save the criminal justice system from collapse.
Sir Brian Leveson, a former judge asked by the government to come up with proposals to tackle a record courts backlog, said he had been forced to make recommendations he did not “rejoice in”.
The creation of a new division of the crown court in which a judge and two magistrates hear “either way” offences – those in which the defendant can currently choose to be heard by either a magistrate or a jury in the crown court.
Removing the rightto be tried in the crown court for offences that carry a maximum sentence of no more than two years.
Reclassifying some either way offences so they can be tried only in a magistrates court.
Trial by judge alone for serious and complex fraud cases.
The right for all crown court defendants to elect to be tried by a judge alone.
