Victims will be put first under plans to modernise the criminal courts and cut delays, the Deputy Prime Minister has announced today.
- Modernisation of the criminal courts to save victims from pain and anguish of delays
- New Judge-only court to fast-track some cases and put most serious crimes in front of a jury
The reforms are set against a record backlog of cases needing to go in front of a judge, with tens of thousands of victims waiting for justice, and the caseload set to hit 100,000 by 2028 - each case representing a victim waiting potentially years to see their perpetrator held to account and to move forward with their lives.
The Deputy Prime Minister announced the reforms in Parliament today, bringing the system back from the brink of total collapse and regaining the trust of both victims and the public.
- New 'Swift Courts' will see cases with a likely sentence of three years or less heard by a Judge alone - estimated to take 20% less time than a jury trial.
- Handing courts the power to decide where cases are heard no longer allowing criminals to game the system and torment their victims.
- Guaranteed jury trials for the most serious and almost all indictable offences - including rape, murder, aggravated burglary, blackmail, people trafficking, grievous bodily harm and the most serious drug offences.
- Judge-only trials for particularly technical and lengthy fraud and financial offences freeing up jurors who have to give up months of their lives to hear particularly burdensome cases;
- Giving magistrates the power to hand down sentences of up to 18 months so more cases can be heard by magistrates, freeing up Crown Court time for the most serious offences. This could go up to two years if needed.
These changes will mean around a quarter of cases that would otherwise have to wait to be heard by a jury will be fast-tracked to go before a judge, freeing up jury trials for where they are most needed.
Currently, over a quarter of all criminal cases are open for a year or more, with violent and sexual offences accounting for almost half of those, up from around a third in 2019. These cases are often complex and take longer to be heard, putting inevitable pressure on the outdated court system.
As more brave victims of these harrowing crimes find the courage to come forward, it is vital the courts adapt and focus on getting them justice. The changes announced today will mean the victims in these cases are put first and centre of the system, and will see their perpetrator in the docks sooner.
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy, said:
This government inherited a justice system in crisis - victims are waiting far too long to get their case to court, and even more are being let down by a system that allows nefarious defendants to try and game the system.
The crumbling system we inherited has resulted in a Crown Court backlog of nearly 80,000 and rising. Justice delayed is justice denied.
This is not acceptable. Today I have set out a bold blueprint for a modern justice system that works for - not against - victims - one that is faster, fairer and finally capable of giving brave survivors of crime the justice they deserve.
These reforms are bold and it will take time to turn the tide on the rising backlog, but these measures are necessary to tackle the emergency in our courts. We are putting victims before tradition for tradition's sake and fairness before those who want to game the system.
Less than half of victims are confident they will get justice, according to the latest Victims Survey.
As some victims face a wait of up to three or four years to see their day in court, many simply give up on the process. Last year, over 10% of adult rape cases are stopped because the victims withdrew.
On top of today's court reforms, victims will be better supported through the process with a half a billion-pound investment in vital support services. This will see £550 million go directly into specialist services that offer practical and emotional support to victims and witnesses.
Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said:
I've seen first-hand how the delays we've inherited have had real-world impacts on victims who end up feeling paralysed and re-traumatised as their cases drag on.
We've already invested record amounts but it's clear that money alone is not enough. This reform is vital to ensuring that victims are able to move forward with their lives.
The Deputy Prime Minister has also been clear that funding must rise next year so that judges can sit more days in the Crown Court, to help clear the backlog, His ambition is that sitting levels in the criminal courts will break records by the end of the parliament.
To recognise the vital role of the legal sector in rescuing the courts from this crisis, criminal legal aid advocates will get up to a £34 million funding increase every year. This comes on top of an up to £92 million per year boost for criminal solicitors confirmed earlier this week.
Today's response forms part of the Government's commitment to safer streets by reducing the court backlog, speeding up hearings for victims, and rebuilding public confidence in the criminal justice system.
David Ford, National Chair of the Magistrates' Association said:
We have long called for radical action to deal with a justice system in crisis. The Crown Court backlog is now so acute that some cases are being scheduled to start in 2029, and every day that a case is not heard, is intolerable anguish and uncertainty for victims, witnesses and defendants.
So, we welcome the government's plans to move some cases to the magistrates' courts and to enable magistrates to hear cases that carry a maximum sentencing range of up to 18 months imprisonment (up from one year currently) with a potential for that to be raised to two years.
This will help make a dent in the huge backlog of serious cases in the Crown Court, and it's a vote of confidence in the nation's 15,000 magistrates - committed and dedicated volunteers who give their time to administer justice in their communities.
Notes:
- Open caseload figures: Criminal court statistics quarterly: April to June 2025 - GOV.UK
- Figures on adult rape attrition: Criminal Justice System - All metrics - CJS Dashboard
- Caseload projections: Crown Court Open Caseload Projections: 2025 to 2029 - GOV.UK
