Two magistrates sanctioned over separate car park incidents
By Bianca Castro >> (15 August 2025) Two magistrates have been sanctioned for misconduct over separate car park issues – one of which led to an altercation and the other to a court session being interrupted. Magistrate Shirley Holmes, who said she was ‘provoked’ during an argument in a supermarket car park, was issued with a formal warning […]
Reading Crown Court tests fast-track case pilot
By Charlie Moloney >> (1 August 2025) A fast-track trial pilot is under way at the Crown court in Reading to try and expedite cases which are most likely to crack, after the backlog of cases reached a 25-year high last month. The Gazette understands the initiative will see certain short bail cases, for which evidence […]
Court slams expert witness for mixing up twins in abuse case
By John Hyde >> (8 April 2025) A judge has underlined the critical importance of reliable expert evidence, after a doctor in a care order case described her own evidence as ‘appalling’. The court in LB Croydon v D (Critical Scrutiny of the Paediatric Overview) heard that the local authority sought a care order for three children, […]
Crown Court backlog reaches record high
By Monidipa Fouzder >> (27 March 2025) New official figures show that the Crown court backlog has once again risen to a record high – and, the government has admitted, could reach 100,000 by 2029 if it keeps climbing at the current rate. Criminal courts data published today shows that the Crown court open caseload […]
