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

At Nottingham Crown Court, a man with a stoic demeanor was the first to face the judge. He had transmitted explicit photographs of his genitals to a 13-year-old girl and was found in possession of nearly 200 child-indecent images. Describing him as a “depraved individual,” the judge imposed a two-year suspended prison term. Alongside this, he mandated 118 hours of unpaid community service and required him to remain on the sex offenders’ register for a decade.

A woman sat in silence as the verdict was delivered, her emotions barely concealed. The entire proceeding lasted just 45 minutes. Subsequently, the judge addressed another case involving a man who had shared intimate photos with a 14-year-old girl and requested sexual favors. The defendant, aged 27 at the time, was apprehended by a paedophile hunter initiative after meeting her near an Asda store. His sentence mirrored the prior case’s structure.

“You are 44 years old. These offences are mean, manipulative,” remarked the judge during the sentencing of a father-of-five who had shared explicit images of a Muslim woman he had sex with. He threatened to expose her naked pictures to her family in a hotel room unless she continued sleeping with him. The judge awarded him a two-year suspended jail term, adding, “You’ve escaped jail by the skin of your teeth.”

Typically, I attend court to cover a single case. However, this day marked a departure. The judge, Michael Auty KC, oversaw ten cases in just five hours, with four involving sex-related charges. Nottingham Crown Court is among several locations adopting “blitz” sessions, designed to streamline case processing and alleviate the backlog. Similar efforts are underway in London, the North East, and the North West of England.

From this month, the government plans to extend blitz courts to more locations, including the Old Bailey in London. These accelerated sessions focus on specific categories, such as assaults on emergency workers, with over 600 such cases pending. The initiative is funded by £2.7bn allocated to courts and tribunals this financial year, a £200m increase from the previous year.

The current backlog in Crown Courts totals around 80,000 cases, double the pre-pandemic numbers. Projections suggest this could surge to over 100,000 by year’s end and reach 200,000 by 2035 if no action is taken. Victims, some of whom are told their cases may not be resolved until 2030, argue that the delays are intolerable and demand immediate reforms.

While handling drug-related charges, public disorder, and theft, Judge Auty KC noted that certain cases could have been resolved in magistrates’ courts. This would allow for quicker resolutions, earlier guilty pleas, and reduced strain on the system. Supporters claim blitz courts offer benefits like expedited hearings and greater opportunities for community rehabilitation, though they also stress the need for careful case selection.