Court cases can take five months (From The Argus)
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Court cases can take five months
9:40am Sunday 3rd March 2013 in News By Ben Leo, reporter
Court cases are taking up to five months to be heard by magistrates in Brighton.
A representative from the Magistrates’ Association said the situation was “regrettable”, adding delays were due to budget cuts, fewer staff and tight resources.
Brighton Magistrates’ Court has been highlighted as an area of “most need” in the country by HM Courts and Tribunals, which will implement a new scheduling policy from April 1 so that more cases can be heard each day.
Victim Support has warned delays in hearing cases could seriously undermine the confidence of victims and witnesses.
Jo King JP, council representative of the Magistrates Association, said: “Last year some cases took up to five months to be heard.
“It is an issue. Delays have got longer over the last few years for a number of reasons, including reductions in budgets and fewer legal advisers, whilst magistrates’ court closures like the one in Lewes don’t help.
“We’ve been working to try and minimise waiting time for trials, including the use of virtual courts with video links to save people travelling long distances and the use of digital filing.
“Court staff and magistrates are aware of the needs of victims and witnesses in particular.
“It would be wrong of me not to say we’re very conscious of it. Everyone’s focus is to improve matters as best as we can within the budget that we have.”
Last week, Justice Minister Damian Green revealed plans for fast-track courts that will focus on a particular type of crime, such as traffic offences or shoplifting, with the aim of being able to deal with a high volume of cases quickly and efficiently.
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Comments(7)
worthingite
says...
10:42am Sun 3 Mar 13
clubrob6
says...
12:23pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Dr.Draconian
says...
5:40pm Sun 3 Mar 13
mimseycal
says...
6:10pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Freeloaders
says...
2:30am Mon 4 Mar 13
Dr.Draconian wrote:100% spot on my friend.This is something that really needs looking into.They must be costing the tax payer millions.Biggest crimials in the country the lot of them.
Most of the delays are caused by solicitors prolonging cases to ensure the maximum claim can be made under the legal aid scheme.
Freeloaders
says...
2:35am Mon 4 Mar 13
clubrob6 wrote:Outstanding post.Lets face it there is know law in this country now.The police are just there to bring in money for the goverment from easy fine cases.Things like speeding,and public order offences.
How can law and order work if people committing crime are not brought to justice rapidly?.Cuts are playing a major part in this,just like visable policing being removed from brighton and hoves streets in the early hours.Our night time economy is now policed by private door security with emergency response vehicles as backup that look like police cars but manned by private security.A governments main job is to protect its people but cuts to armed forces,police ,our courts this main role is now very poor.
mimseycal says...
9:56am Sun 3 Mar 13
In the meanwhile my insurance company, with whom I had a fully comprehensive policy fully paid up, is withholding my car, essential to me as a disabled individual, on the pretext that I may have been involved in the theft.
But such is the joys of living in a Monarchy. Even victims of crime are legally but witnesses.