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Jury trials will be scrapped for defendants facing sentences of three years or less
Defendants who will likely get a sentence of three years or less will no longer get a jury trial, the justice secretary has announced.
In response to a mounting crown court backlog, David Lammy, who is also deputy prime minister, said defendants will no longer be able to choose a jury trial. The most serious cases, such as for rape, murder and manslaughter, will still be heard by a jury.
Politics latest: Lammy confirms more prisoners released in error A new "bench division" of the crown court system, called "swift courts" will be created, where a judge - with no jury - will hear either-way offences that will likely have a sentence of three years or more. Those offences, such as theft, fraud and assault , can currently be heard by a magistrate or in a crown court where they can elect for a jury trial.
The judge-only process is estimated to take 20% less time than a jury trial and will mean criminals can no longer "game the system and torment their victims.
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