UK Law Articles
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The Times
February 25 2000
Straw deal will cut extra 2,000 jury trials
BY FRANCES GIBB, LEGAL EDITOR
JACK STRAW pitched himself into a fresh battle over plans to limit jury trial yesterday, saying that his new Bill will mean even more defendants being denied trial by jurors.In a concession to some of his critics, the Home Secretary announced that he was dropping a requirement that magistrates look at the impact of a conviction on a person's reputation and job before deciding if they should have jury trial.
The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Bingham of Cornhill, and the Magistrates' Association - both supporters of his plans - had expressed concern over the provision, he said. But the change will infuriate many of the outright opponents to the Bill, which removes the automatic right to jury trial for 18,500 defendants a year charged with middleranking offences such as theft and burglary.
Mr Straw said that, as a result of his changes, up to 2,000 a year fewer defendants would have their cases heard by a judge and jury because JPs would no longer be taking account of the impact on jobs or reputation. "More cases will be heard by magistrates," he said.
The changes will also reap extra savings of £20 million, on top of the original predicted savings of £128 million. Under the new Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No 2) Bill, to have a second reading in March, magistrates instead of defendants will choose whether middle-ranking cases should be heard in the Crown Court.
The changes come after the first Bill suffered a heavy defeat in the House of Lords. Critics had said that the original Bill would lead to two-tier justice, with middle-class professionals more likely to receive a jury trial.
Instead, magistrates will look at the circumstances of the offence and not the offender, Mr Straw said. The new Bill also includes a requirement for magistrates to explain their reasons if they reject a defendant's request for a jury trial.
The Home Office said that the Bill would mean a total of 14,000 fewer cases tried by the Crown Court.
