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[POLITICS] · United Kingdom · 17 sources

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Part of situation: UK criminal justice reform and jury trial controversy (2 clusters)

Andy Burnham scraps controversial plans to curb jury trials

jury trials court backlog criminal justice reform Ministry of Justice Andy Burnham

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a reversal of controversial plans to restrict jury trials in England and Wales. The policy, originally introduced under Keir Starmer, aimed to reduce the massive court backlog by allowing judges to preside over cases that would typically involve a jury, specifically those likely to result in sentences of less than three years.

Following significant backlash from legal professionals and politicians, Justice Secretary Alex Norris confirmed the government will scrap the plan for judge-only trials in the Crown Court. However, the government is proceeding with other reforms. These include allowing certain complex fraud and financial offences to be heard by a judge alone, and increasing the sentencing powers of magistrates.

Additionally, the government intends to remove the right for defendants in certain "either-way" offences to elect a jury trial in the Crown Court, leaving that decision to the courts. The decision comes as the Crown Court backlog reached nearly 81,000 cases at the end of June, nearly double the 2020 figure. While legal groups like the Criminal Bar Association welcomed the U-turn on jury trials, they expressed ongoing concerns regarding the increased burden and sentencing authority being shifted to magistrates' courts.

Entities

Alex Norris · Andy Burnham · Criminal Bar Association · David Lammy · England and Wales · Keir Starmer · Ministry of Justice

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

Courts backlog will fall despite scrapping of jury trial plan, minister says [www.mnnofa.com]
Burnham scraps judge-only trial plans [nen.press]
Britain scraps heavily criticised plans to curb jury trials after backlash [srnnews.com]
Royaume-Uni : Andy Burnham recule sur sa réforme controversée des procès avec jury [entrevue.fr]
Burnham scraps Starmer's controversial plan to curb jury trials [inews.co.uk]
Britain Scraps Plans to Restrict Jury Trials - Voice of Nigeria [von.gov.ng]
Jury trials saved in major government U-turn: What actually changes for defendants? | The latest National and International News - upday News [www.upday.com]
Britain scraps heavily criticized plans to curb jury trials after backlash [www.arabnews.pk]
Barristers brand Andy Burnham's jury trials move 'car crash' within seconds of U-turn [www.gbnews.com]
Controversial plan to curb jury trials scrapped [nation.cymru]
Britain Scraps Controversial Plans to Curb Jury Trials [www.world-today-news.com]
Partial U-turn on jury trial reforms [www.lawgazette.co.uk]
Andy Burnham abandons plans to curb jury trials over 'strength of feeling' [metro.co.uk]
Justice secretary admits court backlog will continue to rise after U-turn [www.independent.co.uk]
Burnham scraps controversial Starmer plan to axe jury trials [www.standard.co.uk]
Burnham scraps controversial plans to curb jury trials [www.bbc.co.uk]
Ministers drop plans to cut jury trials in England and Wales after outcry [www.theguardian.com]