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| Leicester Crown Court is 'in crisis' according to lawyers | Leicester Crown Court is 'in crisis' according to lawyers |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Victims of crime are being put through unnecessary extra stress because of a "crisis" caused by a lack of judges at Leicester Crown Court, lawyers claim. | Victims of crime are being put through unnecessary extra stress because of a "crisis" caused by a lack of judges at Leicester Crown Court, lawyers claim. |
| Currently, four of the six courts are operating because of a limit on the number of temporary judges, known as recorders, Leicester is allowed. | Currently, four of the six courts are operating because of a limit on the number of temporary judges, known as recorders, Leicester is allowed. |
| Solicitor Michelle Harding said the court was in "freefall". | Solicitor Michelle Harding said the court was in "freefall". |
| A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said it was committed to "effective justice" while cutting costs. | A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said it was committed to "effective justice" while cutting costs. |
| "In the last five weeks we've had at least five trials pulled at the very last moment - 16:50 BST the evening before," Ms Harding said. | "In the last five weeks we've had at least five trials pulled at the very last moment - 16:50 BST the evening before," Ms Harding said. |
| Meanwhile, barrister Paul Prior said a sexual assault trial this week had to be adjourned until March and a recent rape trial also had to be delayed. | Meanwhile, barrister Paul Prior said a sexual assault trial this week had to be adjourned until March and a recent rape trial also had to be delayed. |
| "Everybody suffers. The complainant suffers because she has to wait again to give evidence against the defendant," he said. | "Everybody suffers. The complainant suffers because she has to wait again to give evidence against the defendant," he said. |
| "The defendant and his family suffer because they put their lives on hold awaiting the outcome of the case." | "The defendant and his family suffer because they put their lives on hold awaiting the outcome of the case." |
| "We are in crisis," he added. | "We are in crisis," he added. |
| It was also pointed out lawyers suffered because firms were not paid until the outcome, putting a strain on some businesses' cash flow. | |
| And witnesses' memories can be questioned if a trial is held long after the alleged offence, the barrister said. | And witnesses' memories can be questioned if a trial is held long after the alleged offence, the barrister said. |
| A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The government is clear victims of crime must be treated with the care they deserve and we are totally revamping the Victims' Code to help with this. | |
| "We are also committed to providing court and tribunal users with effective access to justice while seeking ways to do so at a lower cost - alongside our efforts to improve the efficiency of the justice system as a whole." | |
| He added: "The Criminal Justice System Strategy and Action Plan, published last month, set out plans to increase the effectiveness and transparency of the courts. | |
| "These include digitising the criminal justice system, transforming it from a fragmented paper-based system to a digital service which meets the standards the public rightly expect from a modern public service." |
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