Lady Chief Justice voices ‘grave safety considerations’ over Labour’s controversial jury reforms, as judges threat changing into targets for felony revenge
The head of the judiciary has warned there are ‘grave security concerns’ over the Government’s controversial plan for judge-only trials.
Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr suggested judges who become responsible for determining guilt under Labour’s proposals could be physically attacked by vengeful criminals outside court.
In her first public criticism of Justice Secretary David Lammy’s plan to end jury trial in thousands of cases a year, Baroness Carr said she had already voiced her fears ‘very, very strongly’ to the Government.
Under Labour’s reforms – designed to reduce the record 80,000 trial backlog – judges will sit without a jury in medium-level trials, including violent offences and drug-dealing, potentially involving organised crime gangs.
‘I see it not only as appropriate but my responsibility to make it as plain as I can that I have grave security concerns if there are going to be judge alone trials,’ the Lady Chief Justice said.
‘It’s a very different environment to be working in and judges usually sit in one main centre.
‘So they’re going in and out of one centre on a daily basis, rather than, for example, High Court judges who will be sitting all around the country in England and Wales.
‘So I’ve made the case very, very strongly that this needs to be considered and resourced properly and catered for properly.
The Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, said she had ‘grave security concerns’ over the Government’s plan for judge-only trials
‘I have been assured that has all been heard and understood and that the resources will be made available.’
Baroness Carr, the most senior judge in England and Wales, said: ‘I don’t want to go into too much detail as to where my concerns lie.
In the broadest sense, I would say they centre at the moment on judges going to the same building every day.’
Her remarks reflect fears that convicted criminals, or their associates, could seek revenge against judges who hand down a guilty verdict.
As criminal judges usually work at the same court building every day they could be vulnerable to physical attack by anyone holding a grudge.
The Lady Chief Justice with Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary David Lammy
Baroness Carr also voiced concerns over escalating levels of online abuse against judges.
‘The thing that is really concerning me still is the social media abuse, which has taken a nasty turn when it comes to judges now,’ she said at her annual press conference at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London today.
Baroness Carr – the most senior judge in England and Wales, pictured today at her annual press conference – also voiced concern over growing levels of online abuse directed at judges
‘Increasingly racist, misogynistic social media abuse that is so difficult to control.
‘But we’ve got a Lord Chancellor [Mr Lammy] who speaks out, defends the rule of law as always, and I feel that the messages that I’ve had to convey have been delivered and heard.’
The legal establishment, particularly criminal barristers, have voiced fierce opposition to the judge-only plans, saying they will seriously erode a centuries-old right to jury trial.
The Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, pictured today giving her annual press conference in the library of the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, central London
Professional bodies have argued there is no evidence jury trial is a key factor in the courts backlog, and suggested the solution lies in greater investment in courts and legal aid.
It emerged last month that Mr Lammy’s proposals will also lead to a fall in the number of criminals in jail.
Official Ministry of Justice documents showed that following an initial spike in the prison population the changes would see fewer offenders behind bars.
Government research also showed that where similar judge-only trials have been introduced in other parts of the world it led to more defendants being acquitted and to shorter jail sentences being handed down.
Ministers have said they expect judge-only trials to be introduced in 2028, assuming the legislation overcomes opposition from backbench Labour MPs and the House of Lords.
The reforms will cost £338million to implement over 10 years.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ‘The Lady Chief Justice is absolutely right to highlight how important it is to ensure judges are safe to carry out their duties.
‘Our reforms mean serious cases will continue to be heard in front of a jury and we have robust measures in place – backed by increased investment – to protect judges and all court users.
‘Victims are facing unacceptably long waits for justice after years of delays in our courts.
‘That is why we are pressing ahead with our plans – alongside modernising it for the 21st century with record investment.’
