Video link court hearings coming to police stations in the UK
Key Points
- Defendants will attend first hearings by video link from police custody suites
- The £17.4 million pilot will run in at least four police force areas
- Every Crown Court in England and Wales will get specialist Case Coordinators
- New legislation could allow broadcasting of more court proceedings
- The Government has dropped plans to limit jury trials
Defendants will soon face their first court hearing by video from a police cell. The Ministry of Justice announced on Monday (12 October) that it will pilot Virtual Remand Hearings in at least four police force areas, with £17.4 million in funding.
Under the scheme, defendants will attend their first hearing through a secure video link from a police custody suite.
This removes the need to transport defendants from a police cell to court and then on to prison, which the department said would let courts progress more cases.
The Ministry of Justice said early predictions suggest the technology could help reduce the criminal court backlog, which currently sits at a record high.
Lord Leveson recommended the move in his Criminal Courts Review, which set out a blueprint for modernising the criminal courts and tackling the backlog.
The Government published its response to the review on Monday, accepting or accepting in principle the overwhelming majority of its 180 recommendations.
“I am grateful to Lord Leveson for his landmark review, which has provided us with a blueprint for modernising our criminal courts and tackling the unacceptable delays facing victims that we inherited,” said Alex Norris, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.
The Government will also spend up to £5 million placing specialist Case Coordinators in every Crown Court in England and Wales.
These staff will work alongside judges, prosecutors and defence teams to identify and resolve issues in individual cases earlier and keep them on track.
“By investing in new technology, expanding Virtual Remand Hearings and rolling out specialist case coordinators, we are helping courts work smarter, cutting delays and delivering the justice that victims deserve,” said Sarah Sackman, Minister for Courts and Legal Services.
Judges hearing cases from across the country
Judges can now hear cases hundreds of miles away, with courts able to transfer cases digitally to judges anywhere in the country.
The Ministry of Justice said this lets it redistribute resources and target courts struggling with backlogs.
The Government also laid legislation on Monday to expand the broadcasting of court proceedings.
For the first time, broadcasters could show proceedings in the Administrative Court and sentencing remarks delivered by the Chief Magistrate.
The Courts and Tribunals Bill returns to Parliament on Tuesday (13 October), where the Government will amend it to remove proposals to limit jury trials. The change means almost all Crown Court cases will continue to go before a jury.
