‘Judges in despair at what they are facing’
BRITAIN’S justice system is close to meltdown, say law experts.
Funding for the Justice Department has plunged 40% in the past 20 years, and it is now facing a further £600million cut.
Politicians are happy to look the other way as prisons and courts crumble, claim legal professionals.
A Daily Star investigation found a system deemed no longer fit for purpose, described by lawyers as “third world justice”.
Criminal barristers have staged mass walkouts and refused to take cases, and vigils have been held outside the Ministry of Justice.
But months on from the protests there is still no fix in sight.
London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association officer Mark Troman said things were only going to get worse.
He added: “The Home Office budget and Justice budget are both down, but if they increase the Home Office budget before they increase the Justice budget, it’s going to be the perfect storm.
“The system will be unable to cope, and it will be a disaster.”
Resources
This lack of funding has seen historic court buildings sold off on the cheap or allowed to fall apart.
Since 2010, 126 court premises have been sold. As they close, defendants, lawyers and staff are forced to travel further to deal with packed court lists.
Theresa Hendrickx, committee member for the LCCSA, said: “It means people are travelling long distances, taking time off work or not being in school and often getting the bus as they can’t afford the Tube.”
She added: “There’s just a lack of funding, a lack of people and a lack of resources.”
The cuts have also seen courts falling apart across the country, with no attempt to keep them fit for use.
Speaking with lawyers across Britain, we heard stories of cells closed because of floods, disabled court staff struggling to get in due to lifts not working and no wi-fi for lawyers.
Ms Hendrikx added: “People say it’s like doing justice in Syria, it’s Third World justice, that’s what it seems like.”
The cuts have also hit legal aid, the funding given to defendants who cannot afford to hire help. In the past five years, the England and Wales legal aid budget has been cut by more than £1billion.
Chris Henley QC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, claimed it had left the system in “chaos”.
He said people were “having to try to represent themselves – and nobody can do an adequate job of representing themselves in any court or tribunal”. He added: “The whole thing falls into disrepute – again nothing seems to be done to tackle this crisis.
“Judges are in despair about what is going on in front of them.” The lack of funding has also seen a crisis erupt in Britain’s prisons, which are now overcrowded, with six more than 50% over capacity.
Jail deaths have surged, with selfharm incidents and assaults on staff also rocketing.
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Sir Ed Davey accused the Government of overseeing a “crisis in our prisons”.
He said: “Overwhelmed staff are simply unable to cope, leading to riots, widespread drug use and violence against staff.”