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| 'Backlog' of terror trials denied | 'Backlog' of terror trials denied |
| (7 days later) | |
| Lord Falconer has denied a report the courts system is failing to cope with the increasing numbers of terror cases. | Lord Falconer has denied a report the courts system is failing to cope with the increasing numbers of terror cases. |
| The Lord Chancellor told BBC News it was "possible" other cases could be delayed and more high-security courts were needed, "but there is no backlog". | The Lord Chancellor told BBC News it was "possible" other cases could be delayed and more high-security courts were needed, "but there is no backlog". |
| Earlier, the Crown Prosecution Service revealed a total of 99 defendants were awaiting trial in 34 terror cases. | Earlier, the Crown Prosecution Service revealed a total of 99 defendants were awaiting trial in 34 terror cases. |
| Counter-terrorism head Sue Hemming told the Times she was not sure the system was "geared up" to deal with them. | Counter-terrorism head Sue Hemming told the Times she was not sure the system was "geared up" to deal with them. |
| She also revealed work had begun to find other court centres outside London where terror cases could be tried. | She also revealed work had begun to find other court centres outside London where terror cases could be tried. |
| "There is work at the moment to look at improving court centres and increase the number of courts that can deal with terrorist-related cases and high-security cases generally," Miss Hemming told the newspaper. | "There is work at the moment to look at improving court centres and increase the number of courts that can deal with terrorist-related cases and high-security cases generally," Miss Hemming told the newspaper. |
| There are more terrorist trials than there have ever been before and we need to gear up to ensure that we can deal with them Lord Falconer | There are more terrorist trials than there have ever been before and we need to gear up to ensure that we can deal with them Lord Falconer |
| Lord Falconer told BBC News terrorism cases were a "priority" and there would always be a court and judge available when they were ready to come to trial. | Lord Falconer told BBC News terrorism cases were a "priority" and there would always be a court and judge available when they were ready to come to trial. |
| "There are more terrorist trials than there have ever been before and we need to gear up to ensure that we can deal with them," he added. | "There are more terrorist trials than there have ever been before and we need to gear up to ensure that we can deal with them," he added. |
| "These cases take a significant time to prepare, both by the prosecution and by the defence." | "These cases take a significant time to prepare, both by the prosecution and by the defence." |
| A Crown Prosecution Service spokeswoman said the number of terror cases was "challenging". | A Crown Prosecution Service spokeswoman said the number of terror cases was "challenging". |
| But she added: "The agencies are committed to working to meet that challenge while looking at improvements for using regional court centres to deal with the cases." | But she added: "The agencies are committed to working to meet that challenge while looking at improvements for using regional court centres to deal with the cases." |
| As long as they are all not left to wait in a bus queue in London, I think that they will be dealt with reasonably expeditiously Lord Carlile | As long as they are all not left to wait in a bus queue in London, I think that they will be dealt with reasonably expeditiously Lord Carlile |
| The government's independent reviewer of the anti-terrorism legislation, Lord Carlile of Berriew, said the "burden... can be shared out among the significant court centres in this country". | The government's independent reviewer of the anti-terrorism legislation, Lord Carlile of Berriew, said the "burden... can be shared out among the significant court centres in this country". |
| "As long as they are all not left to wait in a bus queue in London, I think that they will be dealt with reasonably expeditiously," he added. | "As long as they are all not left to wait in a bus queue in London, I think that they will be dealt with reasonably expeditiously," he added. |
| Shadow attorney general Dominic Grieve told BBC News "a group of judges who actually specialise in this work" was needed. | Shadow attorney general Dominic Grieve told BBC News "a group of judges who actually specialise in this work" was needed. |
| "Judges, once they build up an expertise in a particular field and start to specialise in certain trial areas, can usually move the process along faster by having pre-trial hearings, by trying to narrow down the issues that will be dealt with at the trial and by putting pressure on both sides - both the prosecution and the defence - to speed up the process, when there is often a lot of inertia," he said. | "Judges, once they build up an expertise in a particular field and start to specialise in certain trial areas, can usually move the process along faster by having pre-trial hearings, by trying to narrow down the issues that will be dealt with at the trial and by putting pressure on both sides - both the prosecution and the defence - to speed up the process, when there is often a lot of inertia," he said. |