Overarching strategy needed to deal with criminal court delays and backlogs

Members of the Bar of Northern Ireland Criminal Bar Association recently held a conference which discussed how to deal with delay in the criminal courts in an efficient and effective manner.

The conference, which took place at Riddel Hall, Queen’s University Belfast on Saturday 18 June, was addressed by members the judiciary including Lady Chief Justice, Dame Siobhan Keegan, Lord Justice McCloskey, HHJ Smyth and HHJ Fowler QC Recorder of Belfast, as well as Dr Geraldine O’Hare of the Probation Board for Northern Ireland, the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice Jacqui Durkin and Glyn Capper of the Department of Justice.

The conference attendees included barristers practising in criminal law and a number of their solicitor colleagues. The conference was chaired by Michael Forde, Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association.

Michael Forde commented: “There have been estimates that a backlog in Crown Court cases across Northern Ireland is likely to last until 2027, with around 12,000 defendants in the criminal courts system at present, compared with just over 7,000 before the onset of the pandemic.

“Delays in the justice system impact victims of crime first and foremost. However, the negative impacts ripple out to a range of others across society including defendants, witnesses, solicitors, barristers and court service staff.

“The Criminal Bar Association has brought together a range of stakeholders through this conference in an effort to identify the causes of delay and work through solutions to deal with delay.”

Michael Forde concluded:

“The prevailing view of what was a thought provoking conference was that there is a need for an overarching strategy from the Department of Justice to deal with delay and the current court backlog, with an input from all partners in the criminal justice sector, including the Criminal Bar. Only then can we deal with delay and clear the backlogs that are impacting so many in such negative ways.”

ENDS