Victims' Organisations Urge Lammy to Abandon Judge-Only Trial Plans
In a significant intervention, more than thirty organisations representing victims of violence against women and girls have issued a joint plea to Justice Secretary David Lammy, demanding he scrap controversial proposals to limit jury trials for certain crimes. The groups, which include prominent bodies like the End Violence against Women Coalition and the legal reform charity JUSTICE, argue that the plans risk deepening mistrust in the justice system among female victims.
A Democratic Safeguard Under Threat
The letter, published on Wednesday, positions jury trials as a democratic safeguard that should be preserved rather than curtailed. Instead of removing juries, the signatories call for sustained investment across the entire justice system to tackle the root causes of violence against women and girls. They insist that positioning the interests of survivors against those of defendants oversimplifies the complex dynamics of how the system treats women, noting that female victims of violence are often criminalised themselves.
Concerns Over Racial Bias and Trust
The organisations express deep concern that replacing juries with judge-only trials for crimes likely to receive sentences of less than three years could lead to unfair outcomes. They highlight that two-thirds of judges are male, which they fear could further erode trust at a time when less than half of female victims have confidence in the overall fairness of the justice system. Additionally, the signatories warn of potential increases in racial bias, citing research that shows judges are more likely to impose prison sentences or longer terms on defendants from ethnic minorities.
Hannah Couchman, senior legal officer at Rights of Women, stated: "Organisations across the sector are sounding the alarm over these proposals. Undermining one of the few mechanisms for bringing diversity into decision making and reducing courtroom bias will not resolve the backlog or address the trauma survivors experience."
Government's Stance and Opposition
The government introduced legislation last month aimed at overhauling the courts system and reducing the crown court backlog, which stands at nearly 80,000 cases. Ministers argue that judge-only trials are necessary to speed up proceedings and prevent victims from facing delays of up to four years. However, the plans have faced fierce opposition from legal experts and victims' groups alike.
Janaya Walker, interim director at the End Violence Against Women Coalition, criticised the government's approach: "We have been taken aback by the government's blanket assertion that this set of proposals is in the best interests of victims and survivors, without any serious consultation with VAWG organisations. It sets a worrying precedent for the rights of women and girls to be pitted against others."
Calls for Collaborative Reform
Fiona Rutherford, chief executive of JUSTICE, emphasised the importance of juries: "Victims of violence must have access to trustworthy, timely justice. Juries are one of the best trusted parts of our system and give some of the most equal outcomes; cutting them will further weaken justice, not fix it."
In response, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson acknowledged the concerns, stating: "No-one has more lived and varied experience of the justice system than victims' groups representing brave survivors across the country – and we wholeheartedly welcome all views. We had a positive and constructive meeting with a number of signatories and look forward to working collaboratively on our reform package."
The debate continues as the government seeks to balance the urgent need to address court delays with maintaining public confidence in the justice system, particularly among vulnerable groups.
