Overview

• The backlog of criminal cases in Crown Courts has reached 73,105 as of September, nearly double the pre-pandemic level in 2019.
• Sir Brian Leveson, leading a government-commissioned review, describes the backlog as a 'crisis' requiring urgent and radical solutions.
• Proposals under consideration include creating intermediate courts with judges and magistrates to handle mid-level cases and expanding magistrates' sentencing powers.
• Delays are impacting victims, witnesses, and defendants, with some cases now listed as far out as 2027, raising concerns about justice and accountability.
• The review, alongside a parallel sentencing review, could lead to the most significant changes to the UK's criminal justice system in decades if adopted by ministers.