Ten cases a day – how ‘blitz courts’ could tackle the Crown Court backlog
Ten cases a day – how ‘blitz courts’ could tackle the Crown Court backlog
A man with a stoic demeanor stood as the first defendant. He had transmitted explicit photos of his genital area to a 13-year-old girl and was found to hold nearly 200 inappropriate child images. The judge at Nottingham Crown Court labeled him a “depraved individual” and imposed a two-year suspended prison term. He was also ordered to perform 118 hours of unpaid community service and placed on the sex offenders’ register for the next decade. A woman listened as he was sentenced, trying to hide her tears. The hearing lasted just 45 minutes.
Subsequently, the judge reviewed a case involving a man who had shared intimate photos with a 14-year-old girl and solicited her for sexual activity. At 27 years old, the defendant was apprehended by a paedophile-hunting organization after setting up a meeting with the girl near an Asda supermarket. His sentence mirrored the prior offender’s. Normally, I attend court to cover a single case. However, this day was distinct as Judge Michael Auty KC was handling a series of cases, with ten being addressed within the five-hour session.
Nottingham is among a few Crown Courts implementing “blitz” hearings, where dozens of cases are processed in a single day. The goal is to alleviate the overwhelming backlog in the criminal justice system. Similar initiatives are also taking place in London, the North East, and the North West of England. The program will soon expand to additional courts across England and Wales, including the Old Bailey in London. These sessions are designed to expedite trials, sentencing hearings, and appeals.
It is unusual for a judge to handle so many cases in one day, yet the government aims to scale this system to address the growing caseload. Nottingham holds these sessions twice monthly. Similar cases are grouped together, as they often lead to comparable sentences, streamlining the process and maximizing time efficiency. On the day of my visit, the judge issued sentences for drug-related offenses, public disorder, and theft. During the session, Judge Auty KC noted that some cases could have been resolved by magistrates, allowing for earlier pleas, swifter justice, and reduced strain on the system.
A historical precedent for fast-tracking
The concept of blitz hearings is not entirely novel. They have been occasionally used to accelerate cases during exceptional circumstances, such as the 2011 summer riots, which saw a surge in public disorder trials. From this month, the government is broadening the use of blitz courts as part of a broader strategy to clear the backlog. The funding for this initiative comes from £2.7 billion allocated to courts and tribunals this financial year, an increase from £2.5 billion in the previous 12 months.
Currently, approximately 80,000 cases are pending in Crown Courts across England and Wales, with numbers doubling since pre-pandemic levels. The backlog is projected to surpass 100,000 by year’s end and could reach 200,000 by 2035 without significant reforms. Crime victims, including those informed their cases may not be resolved until 2030, argue that the extended delays are intolerable and demand immediate action.
Starting in April, the Central Criminal Court, or Old Bailey, will implement blitz hearings using two separate courtrooms. These sessions will prioritize cases involving assaults on emergency personnel, with over 600 such cases awaiting resolution. Returning to Nottingham Crown Court, the cases continued to flow. The next defendant was a married father of five who had disseminated explicit images of a Muslim woman he had sexual relations with and attempted to coerce her. The court learned he had threatened to reveal her naked photos in a hotel to her family unless she agreed to continue sleeping with him.
“You are 44 years old. These offences are mean and manipulative,” remarked the judge. “You’ve managed to avoid prison by a narrow margin.”
Imposing a two-year suspended sentence, the judge noted that the defendant had “escaped jail by the skin of your teeth.” Proponents of blitz courts argue that the approach is beneficial, facilitating quicker plea agreements, expedited proceedings, and enhanced opportunities for offender rehabilitation in the community. This requires the prosecution to conduct early assessments of case viability, potentially leading to the discontinuation or reduction of certain charges.
