Almost half (48%) of victims of alleged crimes with a trial date listed had it changed at least once, according to a new survey by the victims’ commissioner.
Of those, 26% had the date changed four or more times. The number of completed Crown court cases where the trial was rescheduled more than three times on the day of the trial has quadrupled from 20 in 2019/20 to 87 in 2023/24.
The report, titled Justice delayed: The impact of the Crown court backlog on victims, victim services and the criminal justice system, said of the 70 victims who had experienced a trial date change, 36% had not received an explanation as to why it had happened. It said ‘in some instances’ victims reported that delays and adjournments ‘further traumatised them’.
The report continued: ‘Our findings also show how the Crown court delays have a detrimental impact on the wider justice system, as they reduce the quality of victims’ evidence, risk supportive witnesses dropping out and, in some cases, lead victims to withdraw from the criminal justice process entirely.
‘Many victims were left with such little faith and trust in the criminal justice system that they would be unwilling to report future crimes.
‘Whilst high-quality support can go some way to alleviate the detrimental impacts of the Crown court backlog and help victims stay engaged with the criminal justice system, the backlog causes difficulty for support organisations. With the increased number of victims held in the system because of the backlog, victim services are under increasing pressure which impairs their ability to provide the accessible, high-quality support that victims need.’
The report, which has been shared with the government’s independent review of the criminal courts, makes recommendations including creating a single point of contact for victims whose case is going to trial; the restoration of an independent courts’ inspectorate and emergency funding to victim support services.
Baroness Newlove of Warrington, the victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, said: ‘My report sadly confirms what I have long feared. These delays are not just administrative failings, they are actively harming victims and causing them real and undue stress. The evidence is irrefutable: lengthy waits for justice erode trust and confidence and devastates victims’ emotional and physical well-being. Too often victims are left in the dark with some even regretting having engaged with the system in the first place.
‘A system in crisis demands systemic change. Yes, change will take time. Yes, the changes required are significant. However, the human cost of these delays is far too high to ignore.’
Richard Atkinson, Law Society president, said: ‘The Crown court backlog, which continues to grow at an alarming rate, is undermining the effectiveness of the criminal justice system and lowering victims’ confidence in its ability to deliver justice. The criminal justice system is a vital public service but one that has been deprived of sufficient resources for decades. It is in need of urgent action and adequate funding to ensure that victims are properly supported and making sure they receive the justice they deserve.
‘We welcome the proposed recommendations made by the victims’ commissioner and look forward to working with them to ensure the effective running of our justice system.’
