Former President of the Queen's bench Division, Sir Brian Leveson, was asked by the Secretary of State for Justice (Shabana Mahmood MP) to carry out an independent review into the criminal courts.
Part 1 of his report has now been published - see Independent Review of the Criminal Courts Part 1 (pdf 388 pages).
In December 2024, the Chair of the Bar Council Sam Townend KC commented that the criminal justice system was in a 'perilous state' and welcomed the setting up of the review but also pointed out that 'immediate, targeted and sustained investment' was required. At the time, there was a backlog of 73,105 cases in the Crown Court and 327,228 in the Magistrates' Courts. This was the result of decades of cuts and severe lack of investment.
Townend further commented - 'To address the multitude of challenges, we need some new solutions, but additional funding is also desperately needed.'
This was merely pointing out
what lawyers working within the criminal justice system had been saying for years. By 2024/25 the crisis could no longer be swept aside.Leveson makes 45 recommendations which are summarised from page 15 of his report. As widely anticipated, his proposals will reduce the number of jury trials. This will be achieved by way of keeping more cases in the Magistrates' Courts and by the creation of a new Crown Court bench Division (CCBD) in which trial will be by a Judge sitting with two magistrates.
Leveson's proposals are now with the Justice Secretary who has to decide on the next actions.
I am reserving further comment for a time. The report is lengthy and contains cross-references to other reports.
Meanwhile, if commentary appears, I will add links below.
A second Volume is to be issued dealing with "Efficiency".
Links
The Guardian 9 July 2025 - Jury-free trials propsoed to save criminal justice system from collapse
The Observer 9 July - Michael Mansfield KC
Joshua Rozenberg 9 July 2025 and 10 July 2025
Bar Council 9 July 2025 - Barbara Mills KC (Chair of the Bar Council) - 'Changing the fundamental structure of delivering criminal justice is not a principled response to a crisis which was not caused by that structure in the first place ....'
Magistrates' Association welcomes Leveson Review - the Association states that the recommendations, 'if implemented, will speed-up justice for victims, witnesses and defendants who are being denied justice by the ever-increasing backlog in the crown courts.'
House of Commons - debate 9 July 2025 - Trial by jury: proposed restrictions
Addition 11 July 2025
The “Lammy Review” reported in 2017. On juries it stated - ‘Our justice system is built on the principle that the law will be applied impartially. In the cases that involve the greatest harm to victims and the longest sentences for offenders, juries are the guardians of this principle. Our jury system may be centuries old, but it is still fit for purpose today. Successive studies have shown that, on average, jury verdicts are not affected by ethnicity. A detailed study of verdicts across England and Wales, published in 2010, found that BAME and White defendants were convicted at very similar rates, including in cases with all-white juries. It concluded that ‘one stage in the criminal justice system where B[A]ME groups do not face persistent disproportionality is when a jury reaches a verdict.’
Lammy Review - ‘An independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in the criminal justice system.’ The report’s author is now the Foreign Secretary.
Addition 12 July 2025
Criminal Bar Association response
13 July 2025
14 July 2025
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