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| 'Millions wasted' on court cases | 'Millions wasted' on court cases |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police and prosecutors are wasting £55m a year by mishandling court cases, a report by a Commons watchdog has said. | Police and prosecutors are wasting £55m a year by mishandling court cases, a report by a Commons watchdog has said. |
| The Public Accounts Committee said more than 900,000 out of about 3m magistrate hearings did not go ahead as planned in England and Wales in 2004-5. | The Public Accounts Committee said more than 900,000 out of about 3m magistrate hearings did not go ahead as planned in England and Wales in 2004-5. |
| The delays cost an estimated £173m - £24m each down to the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) individually, and £7m jointly, say the MPs. | |
| However, the CPS said the number of ineffective trials was falling. | |
| 'Waste of money' | 'Waste of money' |
| Prosecution errors leading to delays included losing files or not producing evidence in time. | Prosecution errors leading to delays included losing files or not producing evidence in time. |
| Mr Leigh said: "The CPS and the police are jointly responsible for an alarming number of delayed and ineffective trials in magistrates' courts. | Mr Leigh said: "The CPS and the police are jointly responsible for an alarming number of delayed and ineffective trials in magistrates' courts. |
| "This is not only a waste of taxpayers' money - some £55m a year - but also an affront to society's expectation and demand that the guilty be swiftly brought to justice." | "This is not only a waste of taxpayers' money - some £55m a year - but also an affront to society's expectation and demand that the guilty be swiftly brought to justice." |
| He said the CPS had to "sharpen up its performance" and start to "emulate the most successful private law firms". | He said the CPS had to "sharpen up its performance" and start to "emulate the most successful private law firms". |
| Last-minute plea | Last-minute plea |
| Liberal Democrat legal affairs spokesman Simon Hughes the police and CPS had been caught "bang to rights". | Liberal Democrat legal affairs spokesman Simon Hughes the police and CPS had been caught "bang to rights". |
| "They are both in the dock for good reason - and both are guilty," he said. | "They are both in the dock for good reason - and both are guilty," he said. |
| Committee member Richard Bacon urged judges to get tough on criminals who enter a last-minute a guilty plea. | Committee member Richard Bacon urged judges to get tough on criminals who enter a last-minute a guilty plea. |
| The report suggests guilty pleas were entered on the first day of 40,000 trials in 2004-5, or 21% of the total number. | The report suggests guilty pleas were entered on the first day of 40,000 trials in 2004-5, or 21% of the total number. |
| "Criminals should not be rewarded for pleading guilty at the last minute with over-generous reductions in their sentences," said Mr Bacon. | "Criminals should not be rewarded for pleading guilty at the last minute with over-generous reductions in their sentences," said Mr Bacon. |
| The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken Macdonald QC - who heads the CPS - has admitted the organisation does have an "old-fashioned culture". | The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken Macdonald QC - who heads the CPS - has admitted the organisation does have an "old-fashioned culture". |
| But he said reforms to reduce the number of ineffective trials and hearings were beginning to work. | But he said reforms to reduce the number of ineffective trials and hearings were beginning to work. |
| The CPS said figures showed that between June and August this year, the proportion of mishandled cases was 19%, which is a fall of 4% from last year. | The CPS said figures showed that between June and August this year, the proportion of mishandled cases was 19%, which is a fall of 4% from last year. |
| It also noted that nearly a third more offences were brought to justice last year than in 2001-2. | It also noted that nearly a third more offences were brought to justice last year than in 2001-2. |
| The CPS is planning to implement a new business model as well as more policies to help police "get the charges right first time", support prosecution witnesses and ensure better trial management, a spokeswoman added. | The CPS is planning to implement a new business model as well as more policies to help police "get the charges right first time", support prosecution witnesses and ensure better trial management, a spokeswoman added. |