Leveson Review Proposes Ending Jury Trials for Some Offences
Leveson Review Proposes Ending Jury Trials for Some Offences

Leveson Review Proposes Ending Jury Trials for Some Offences

News summary

A government-commissioned review led by Sir Brian Leveson has proposed major reforms to the UK criminal justice system amid a record backlog of nearly 77,000 Crown Court cases, with some trials delayed until 2029. The report recommends ending the automatic right to a jury trial for offences carrying a maximum sentence of two years, such as assaulting emergency workers, certain sex offences, and minor fraud, shifting these cases to judges or a new court division. Other proposals include expanding out-of-court resolutions, increasing sentence discounts for early guilty pleas, and diverting low-level offenders from the courts. Leveson argues these changes are needed to avoid systemic collapse and could save up to 9,000 court sitting days annually. Legal professionals have raised concerns about undermining the jury system and caution that without substantial investment, the backlog could remain for at least five more years. The government has pledged to consider all recommendations, with a response expected in the autumn before any legislation.

Story Coverage
Bias Distribution
60% Center
Information Sources
166bc319-c612-4063-955b-1bdc4fec97ff6a8412fc-1096-4c2b-a630-24144fb8fdd2a3544a73-dab3-486d-ae75-bd4d15f01f5569912e2f-4396-4f1c-acc4-31f185582a74
+1
Left 20%
Center 60%
Right 20%
Coverage Details
Total News Sources
5
Left
1
Center
3
Right
1
Unrated
0
Last Updated
32 min ago
Bias Distribution
60% Center
Related News
Daily Index

Negative

25Serious

Neutral

Optimistic

Positive

Ask VT AI
Story Coverage
Subscribe

Stay in the know

Get the latest news, exclusive insights, and curated content delivered straight to your inbox.

Present

Gift Subscriptions

The perfect gift for understanding
news from all angles.

Related News
Recommended News