The Ulster Unionist Party’s Justice Spokesperson Tom Elliott MLA has highlighted the extent of delays in the justice system by revealing figures which confirm that the judicial system is already faced with a backlog in which thousands of cases are already delayed beyond the agreed performance targets.
Mr Elliott said:
"I have already voiced my concerns that the proposals to close up to eight courthouses in locations across Northern Ireland will do nothing to help a justice system that is already renowned for delays and backlog.
“Answers which I have received from the Justice Minister confirm that the system is indeed already struggling to deal with the current volume of cases and failing to meet performance standards.
“85 Crown Court defendants will not be arraigned within six weeks of committal, 188 Crown Court defendants will not start their trial within 18 weeks of committal, 205 Crown Court defendants will not be sentenced within six weeks of a plea or a finding of guilt, 4,027 adult defendants in magistrates courts will not have their case disposed of within nine weeks of first listing. As for youth court defendants, 120 will not have a finding reached within 12 weeks from first listing.
“This is a very large number of cases which are already part of a backlog, which is extremely stressful for defendants and victims. I fail to see how closing eight courthouses will do anything other than make a bad situation even worse.”