Covid Court Backlog In England 'unprecedented: Report

London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jan, 2021 ) :Thousands of court cases backlogged due to coronavirus present an "unprecedented and very serious" threat to delivering justice fairly in England and Wales, four chief inspectors said in a report published Tuesday.

The chief inspectors of probation, constabulary, prisons and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said they have "grave concerns" about the long-term impact on the courts resulting from case delays linked to measures to fight Covid-19.

"Court backlogs have a ripple effect across all criminal justice agencies and must be dealt with to ensure fair justice for victims and perpetrators of crime," said Justin Russell, the chief inspector of probation.

Across Europe, nations like Germany, Poland, Austria and Portugal have been similarly forced to postpone trials to deal with the Covid outbreak.

"Delays mean victims must wait longer for cases to be heard; some will withdraw support for prosecutions because they have lost faith in the process," the report for England and Wales said.

"Witnesses will find it difficult to recall events that took place many months ago, and prosecutors waste significant periods of time preparing for cases that do not go ahead." "Those accused of crimes face delays in their opportunities to defend themselves and seek acquittal," it said, adding defendants are for example kept on remand longer.

The report outlined how, at the pandemic's start, almost half of all courts were closed and jury trials postponed because of the need for social distancing between court users. Within the prison service, new arrivals had to be quarantined, inmates with symptoms had to be isolated and the vulnerable shielded.

The number of ongoing cases in Crown Courts was 44 per cent higher in December 2020 compared to February of the same year, said the report.

The latest figures show more than 53,000 cases are waiting to come before Crown Courts.

Some of these cases have been scheduled for 2022.

Ministry of Justice figures show there are 403,568 outstanding cases waiting to be heard in first-tier magistrates' courts.

The Bar Council, a representative body for 17,000 barristers, has called for an extra �55 million ($75 million, EUR62 million) to be made available to courts.

The report called on criminal justice agencies to "work closely together to respond to the pandemic" and for the government to provide "national direction as well as the funding, time and access to expertise to help recovery".