Jury trials in England and Wales to be scrapped for some crimes

Jury trials in England and Wales will be eliminated for crimes with sentences under three years, as announced by the Government. Justice Secretary David Lammy introduced a "swift courts" system designed to handle cases much faster than jury trials, projecting case loads will hit 100,000 by 2028.

Lammy stated, “I will create new swift courts within the crown court with a judge alone deciding verdicts.” He noted that these courts would ensure transparency and prevent defendants from manipulating the system. Magistrates' court sentencing powers will also be increased, allowing them to handle more lower-level offenses.