Burglary Victims Waiting Five Years for Justice

A broadsheet investigation has uncovered that burglary victims are waiting up to five years for justice due to unprecedented court delays. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data reveals nearly 1 in 10 theft victims, including burglary cases, face waits exceeding two years from reporting their crime to the perpetrators being brought to trial.

One aggravated burglary victim recounted her ordeal, where eight machete-wielding men broke into her family home. Despite waiting three years since the October 2021 attack, she was informed the suspects wouldn't face trial until 2026. "I am furious," she said, expressing frustration over the police's handling of the case. The attackers reportedly threatened her family, demanding valuables before being forced to flee. Since then, the family has bolstered security with guard dogs and avoided letting their youngest child go to school alone, fearing for their safety.

Her MP, Stella Creasy, raised the case in Parliament, urging the Justice Secretary to address the issue. "My constituents should not have to wait five years for justice. Increasing court capacity is essential to handle serious crimes like this," Creasy stated.

The backlog of crown court cases has surged from 38,000 pre-Covid to a record 68,000. A combination of factors, including staff shortages, barristers' strikes, trial collapses, and an increase in complex cases like rape, has exacerbated delays.

Analysis reveals that victims of sexual offences endure the longest delays, averaging 2,307 days (six years). Fraud cases follow at 1,647 days (4.5 years), attributed to lengthy investigations and international perpetrators. Other case types and their average delays include:

• Public order offences: 668 days
• Drug offences: 632 days
• Violence: 509 days
• Possession of weapons: 499 days
• Robbery: 473 days
• Theft: 458 days
• Criminal damage and arson: 443 days

These figures exclude cases dropped due to victims losing faith in the justice system.

Baroness Newlove, Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, called the delays "chronic and unacceptable," warning they deepen victims' trauma and erode confidence in justice. The MoJ has reportedly abandoned its target to reduce the backlog to 53,000 cases by March 2025, with estimates suggesting it may still exceed 64,000.

Lady Newlove highlighted that nearly 700 trials are postponed each month due to logistical issues like defendant transport problems, barrister shortages, and overbooked courts. Last year, 8,000 trials were labeled "ineffective," accounting for a quarter of all scheduled trials. On any given day, up to 170 courtrooms remain empty due to resource constraints.

Mary Prior KC, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, lamented, "The true cost of neglecting our justice system is the erosion of public trust. If trials take four to six years to occur, how can victims and defendants rebuild their lives?"

An MoJ spokesperson defended the government's efforts, stating: "We inherited a justice system in crisis with a growing backlog. Despite financial challenges, we are committed to reducing delays by increasing crown court sitting days and extending magistrates' sentencing powers to free up more crown court time for serious cases."

The Johnson Partnership

Doncaster Crime Solicitors