Backlog of cases at Northampton Crown Court rose by 30 per cent in last six months of 2020

The number of cases waiting to be dealt with at Northamptonshire's only crown court rose by 30 per cent over the last six months of 2020.

Last year, this newspaper reported how Northampton Crown was saddled with 501 criminal cases at the end of June.

At the end of December 2020, this had risen to 718, ballooning by more than 30 per cent.

It comes after Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland claimed last week that England had "achieved an immense amount in our battle to keep justice moving during the pandemic".

And, in January, four criminal justice watchdogs warned they had 'grave concerns' about the impact of court backlogs by the pandemic, suggesting routine delays of up to four years for some cases.

Justin Russell, the chief inspector of probation, said: "Crown courts deal with the most serious cases, so this backlog concerns us all. The Covid-19 pandemic has meant severe delays and numerous cancellations throughout 2020, and this has had a negative impact on everyone involved.

"Delays mean victims must wait longer for cases to be heard. Some will withdraw support for prosecutions because they have lost faith in the process.

"Witnesses will find it difficult to recall events that took place many months ago, and prosecutors waste significant periods of time preparing for cases that do not go ahead."

Nationally, the number of outstanding court cases in England and Wales rose by approximately 10,000 from March to December 2020, up from around 40,000.

The ripple effect of delayed court cases leads to witnesses and victims waiting longer to see justice in court, who must also be able to recall crimes later and later.

Furthermore, prisoners must wait just as long to have their day in court, which in non-guilty verdicts means longer periods spent in custody.

Last week, the Government announced the country would see as many as 60 'pop-up' Nightingale Courts open by the end of March to tackle cases.While one was suggested in Northamptonshire in November last year, there have been no updates since.

Crown court services - were the most serious criminal cases are heard - were halted for two months during the first lockdown in March 2020.

However, the Law Society of England and Wales, which represents solicitors, said the Covid-19 pandemic had merely exacerbated a significant existing backlog, caused by "years of underfunding and cuts".

“Justice is being delayed for victims, witnesses and defendants, who have proceedings hanging over them for months, if not years, with some trials now being listed for 2022," said president Simon Davis.