At a glance
- Defendants and victims talk about the impact of being trapped in a broken justice system, waiting for years - sometimes until 2029 or 2030 - for their case to even come to court
- Witnesses are at risk of withdrawing from the case while suffering significant mental strain, and serious crimes could end up being unresolved
- Years of cuts by politicians, coupled with pandemic disruption and operational failures, have contributed to a spiralling backlog of cases, and now jury trials could be axed as a possible solution
Standing in the dock, eighteen-year-old Oliver stared back at the judge in disbelief, eyes wide open. What made him visibly stunned that October afternoon was learning that his trial is not going to start until July 2029.
