The Law Show The court delays crisis
Nov 12, 2025
Claire Waxman, the Victims Commissioner-designate, discusses the profound emotional impact of court delays on victims, highlighting challenges in support services. Riel Karmy-Jones KC shares insights on the strain faced by the criminal bar due to increasing backlogs and potential solutions like limiting jury trials. Professor Geoff Pearson examines the unique legal challenges football fans face, arguing for a rethinking of regulations as crowd behavior improves. Together, they tackle pressing issues in the justice system and the need for reform.
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Survivor's Long Wait For Trial
- Rosie waited almost six years for her sexual assault case to reach trial and endured repeated adjournments that re-traumatised her.
- She gave evidence once and later learned the defendant was convicted, which finally gave her a sense that someone believed her.
Delays Exacerbate Victim Attrition
- Claire Waxman highlights that long delays compound trauma and cause many victims to withdraw from the justice process.
- She warns that losing victims reduces public safety because offenders may not be brought to justice.
Delays Harm Both Sides Equally
- Riel Karmy-Jones KC explains long delays harm both victims and defendants and can steal years from young people's lives.
- He emphasises memory degradation and life disruption reduce the fairness and effectiveness of trials.