New official figures show that the Crown court backlog has once again risen to a record high – and, the government has admitted, could reach 100,000 by 2029 if it keeps climbing at the current rate.
Criminal courts data published today shows that the Crown court open caseload climbed from 73,172 in September 2024 to 74,651 in December.
Justice minister Sarah Sackman KC said today’s statistics ‘reveal the scale of the crisis we inherited in our courts’. Sackman added: ‘This government will turn this around, bear down on the backlog, and deliver swifter justice for victims. We have already announced record investment in our courts - but we must go further. That is why we have commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to recommend once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice through our courts.’
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However Law Society president Richard Atkinson said the criminal justice system was in crisis now and cannot wait for the outcomes of the Leveson criminal courts and Gauke sentencing reviews. 'The government needs to act today to start reducing the number of cases coming into the criminal justice system,’ Atkinson said.
Criminal Bar Association chair Mary Prior KC urged victims waiting for their case to come to trial and defendants waiting to clear their name not to lose faith and trust in the criminal justice system.
‘The government’s commitment to bringing swifter justice for victims of crime cannot succeed unless and until it focuses on investing in the trial process. There is always money for emergencies. This is an emergency,’ Prior said.
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