Jury trials could be scrapped for majority of crimes

The move is hoped to reduce a backlog in pending trials

Justice Secretary David Lammy is trying to reduce a backlog of pending trials by removing juries from most trials in the UK, as reported by The Times.

The outlet claimed to have seen a memo in which the deputy prime minister and justice secretary wrote to other ministers and senior civil servants to say that there was “no right” to jury trials in the UK.

The message also emphasised the need to reduce the backlog of cases in England and Wales.

The decision will see a new tier of court set up which will see defendants tried by judges alone.

The move will apply to all criminal proceedings except for alleged rapists and killers.

This goes beyond the recommendations made in Sir Brian Leveson's reviews on criminal courts in July.

However, for the change to come into force it will require primary legislation which is planned for early 2026.

The current backlog of crown court cases surpasses 80,000, as per The Times.

Trial by jury has existed in Britain for centuries, becoming officialised in the Magna Carta signed by King John in 1215.

While forms of trial by jury existed before this, article 39 of the Magna Carta reads: "No free man shall be captured or imprisoned or disseised of his freehold or of his liberties, or of his free customs, or be outlawed or exiled or in any way destroyed, nor will we proceed against him by force or proceed against him by arms, but by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land."

This sort of historic significance could prove controversial with many of Lammy's peers and the general public.