The Bar Council has welcomed the government announcement that Crown Courts can now sit up to 108,500 days this year - an increase of 2,000 days. But warned that additional resources are still needed.
Sam Townend KC, Chair of the Bar Council, said:
“It is the right, if belated, decision by the government to increase the number of Crown Court sitting days for this financial year. It should mean fewer trials need to be adjourned for the first three months of 2025.
“This further change in sitting days mid-year highlights how important it is that the budget and the Crown Court sitting days for future years are fixed early and transparently to allow proper planning and listing of cases.
“Additional resources are needed to ensure that there are enough legal professionals to administer the most serious criminal cases and for crumbling courts to be put back to a proper working order.”
Background: In September, the Bar Council expressed concern that court sitting days had been capped to 105,000 and called for the restoration of the policy of uncapped sitting days.