Trials ‘blitz’ to clear court cases backlog
PCC PLANNING TO DELIVER ‘SWIFT JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS’
A “TRIAL blitz” aimed at clearing growing court backlogs across the county will take place in Nottinghamshire during November.
This will mean four additional magistrates’ court sittingss in Mansfield, bringing the total to seven, and six other courts in the county, sitting for 15 hours instead of 12 hours between November 1 and 12.
An extra 270 hours of trial time will be created, which will reduce trial delays, according to Caroline Henry, Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
She was speaking at a meeting of the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Panel and said that one of her “main priorities” was to reduce the impact of adjournments and court delays.
She said: “It is having an impact on victims and witness engagement. There has been increased capacity in the courts system with the introduction of a Nightingale court site at the Mercure hotel, Sherwood, in March and an additional court which we have modified from a magistrates’ courtroom in Mansfield courthouse.
“Together with the planned trial blitz, they are actually helping to clear the court backlog which we know was such an issue before the pandemic.
“One of things I want to do is establish a local criminal justice board that will help us to better understand local issues, challenges and performance.”
Members of the panel were able to pass comments and ask questions at the meeting about the court situation.
Councillor Michael Edwards, of Nottingham City Council, said that the court backlog was impacting on other services such as children’s services, which was costing an extra £1 million a month.
He said: “This is a very, very serious matter for the city council and we desperately need the backlog sorting out.”
Several councillors asked that someone from the police and crime panel should be on a regional criminal justice board if it was set up.
But panel chairman Christine Goldstraw suggested waiting to see the terms of refer
ence first.
Ms Henry is currently drawing up her police and crime plan. She explained that she is holding a series of meetings around the county and said that her evidenceled plan is aimed at preventing crime, responding to need, including additional police officers, and supporting communities and victims of crime.
She said: “I am looking at a range of options. I want my plan to deliver swift justice for victims, less attrition and bring more perpetrators to justice.”
She will present her completed plan to the panel at its November meeting.