The government has admitted that Britain's court backlog will “get worse before it gets better” as it attempts to address the “dire” state of the criminal justice system. Justice minister Sarah Sackman KC said the situation was “absolutely dire” and that cases would continue to build before reforms begin to take effect.
Currently standing at 80,000 cases, the backlog is predicted to reach 100,000 next year and could hit 200,000 by 2035 without intervention. Ms Sackman said: “Things get worse before they get better, but they do begin to get better by the end of this parliament under this plan. By my reckoning, this will hit 100,000 cases before we begin to see a reduction in the backlog.”
The government has pledged reforms including digital modernisation, lifting the cap on crown court sitting days, and scrapping jury trials for certain offences with a likely jail sentence of three years or less. A £2.7 billion settlement for courts and tribunals for 2026/27 has been agreed, along with £287 million for repairing the crumbling court estate.
Justice Secretary David Lammy has backed the changes, including greater use of artificial intelligence in the courts system. He also resisted calls from Labour MPs for a “sunset clause” on jury trial restrictions, arguing that “fundamental change is needed”.
Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman said removing juries could help secure convictions in rape cases, citing “myths and stereotypes deeply entrenched in society”. Retired judge Lord Brian Leveson, whose report informed the reforms, noted that trials now take far longer than in the past, questioning whether offences like shoplifting should require a jury.
