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| Inefficient court system should be streamlined, Leveson says | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A senior judge has set out plans to "streamline" the "inefficient, time consuming and... very expensive" justice system in England and Wales. | A senior judge has set out plans to "streamline" the "inefficient, time consuming and... very expensive" justice system in England and Wales. |
| Among Lord Justice Leveson's ideas are more use of evidence from cameras worn by police, and flexible court hours. | |
| The BBC's Clive Coleman says parts of the report could "dramatically change the criminal justice system", affecting the right to opt for trial by jury. | |
| The government said it wanted to work with judges to improve the system. | The government said it wanted to work with judges to improve the system. |
| It has already announced a £160m scheme to replace courts' "outdated paper-based system" with "digital courtrooms". | It has already announced a £160m scheme to replace courts' "outdated paper-based system" with "digital courtrooms". |
| Lord Justice Leveson, the third most senior judge in England and Wales, said the criminal justice system must expect "diminished resources for years to come" and needs to be efficient. | Lord Justice Leveson, the third most senior judge in England and Wales, said the criminal justice system must expect "diminished resources for years to come" and needs to be efficient. |
| His report, commissioned by the Lord Chief Justice, also calls for government money to fund the changes. | |
| His recommendations, which he said would not require legislation, include: | His recommendations, which he said would not require legislation, include: |
| Analysis | |
| By Clive Coleman, BBC legal affairs correspondent | |
| Lord Justice Leveson has made recommendations largely about technology and procedures, that don't require legislation. | |
| However, in Part 10 of his report he covers potentially radical changes - many of which have been discussed for years - that could dramatically change the criminal justice system. Such changes would be for parliament to decide, but Leveson is nudging it to look at these. | |
| One is the defendant's right to choose jury trial for offences that can be tried either in the magistrates or crown court. Many who Lord Justice Leveson consulted wanted the court rather than the defendant to have the power to decide whether trial was to be in the magistrates court or in crown court - where trials are far longer and more expensive. | |
| The right to jury trial began in the 19th Century, at a time when defendants had much less legal protection. | |
| Is it still right that a defendant can decide to have a jury trial for stealing a newspaper from a shop? Or should that now be decided by an independent judge? | |
| The judge, who previously led the inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press, said the government should make money available to meet the "inevitable cost of changing from the current systems to the more efficient ones". | The judge, who previously led the inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press, said the government should make money available to meet the "inevitable cost of changing from the current systems to the more efficient ones". |
| "The changes I have recommended are all designed to streamline the way the investigation and prosecution of crime is approached without ever losing sight of the interests of justice," he said. | "The changes I have recommended are all designed to streamline the way the investigation and prosecution of crime is approached without ever losing sight of the interests of justice," he said. |
| "Our conduct of criminal trials was designed in the 19th Century with many changes and reforms bolted on, especially over the last 30 years. | "Our conduct of criminal trials was designed in the 19th Century with many changes and reforms bolted on, especially over the last 30 years. |
| "The result is that it has become inefficient, time consuming and, as a result, very expensive." | "The result is that it has become inefficient, time consuming and, as a result, very expensive." |