Concerns raised over 'huge backlog' of court cases in Staffordshire
Concerns have been raised by a police official over the “huge backlogs” in the judicial system in Staffordshire due to coronavirus.
Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis said there needed to be a “clear strategy” to tackle the issue – and stop victims waiting for justice.
It comes after temporary Nightingale Courts were announced across England, with Staffordshire missing out in a “very disappointing” move.
Latest figures show a 37 per cent increase in outstanding magistrates’ cases across the county amid lockdown.
Now the police official – along with his deputy – have called for the justice system in the county to produce a clear strategy and timeline to deal with cases.
Mr Ellis, a Conservative, said: “I’m very concerned about how the system is going to catch up and get back to some kind of normality. Temporary ‘Nightingale Courts’ were announced at 10 locations across the country to help tackle the huge backlogs, but Staffordshire wasn’t one of them, which is very disappointing.
“I want to be clear on what is being done in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to get back on track as quickly as possible. This can’t be done in a vacuum; agencies need to work together to help resolve this situation as soon as possible, before it gets out of control.”
Sue Arnold, deputy commissioner, said she was concerned about the direct impact on victims – who fear they may never see justice done.
She said: “Victims have already suffered enough and even in normal circumstances the wait for their cases to be dealt with in the courts can put a huge strain on them and their families.
“There’s a real risk many of these cases might just fall apart if victims can’t face waiting months more for justice to be done. We’re asking a lot of them and I want to ensure everything is being done in Staffordshire to help them through this uncertainty, keep them informed and give them support.
“It’s not acceptable for victims to be forgotten about and left in the dark – there needs to be action and it needs to happen quickly.”
Various ideas have been put forward in other areas of the country, including courts sitting at weekends and outside normal hours to clear the backlog.
