Jury Trials Reform

Like many you, I am concerned by the Government’s plans to limit the number of jury trials to only the most serious of cases. I have shared my views with the Prime Minister, the Attorney General, the Lord Chancellor, the Courts Minister, and the Chief Whip.  

Before I became an MP, I spent twenty years working as a criminal barrister. Twenty years seeing every day just how much juries remain a cornerstone of our justice system and a protector of our liberty. As such, I cannot support the measures as they currently stand.  

We must recognise the appalling state of our courts inherited from the Conservatives. Some 80,000 criminal cases are currently waiting to be heard in the Crown Court with victims often waiting years for justice. In many cases, justice delayed literally means justice denied as victims and witnesses cannot deal with the disruption and trauma of waiting sometimes as long as four years. This is unacceptable and radical action is needed to address these injustices.  

I believe that any approach to juries must come alongside wholesale reform and investment into our vital court systems. Reforms to jury trials, if necessary, should only be a temporary measure to tackle the crisis in the courts. That is why I have been calling for a sunset clause. If the Government believes limiting juries to the most serious cases will effectively address the court backlog, then we must legislate for a clause to return to full use of juries once the backlog is cleared. You can read my question to the Minister on this issue here.