Ten cases a day – how ‘blitz courts’ could tackle the Crown Court backlog

Ten cases a day – how ‘blitz courts’ could tackle the Crown Court backlog

At Nottingham Crown Court, a man with a neutral face was the first to face the judge. He had transmitted explicit photographs of his genitals to a 13-year-old girl and possessed nearly 200 child sexual abuse images. The judge referred to him as a “depraved individual” and sentenced him to two years of suspended imprisonment. The man was also required to perform 118 hours of unpaid community service and registered on the sex offenders list for a decade. A woman beside him tried to suppress her emotions as the verdict was delivered. The proceedings lasted 45 minutes.

Following this, the court addressed a case involving a man who had sent intimate images to a 14-year-old girl and solicited sexual favors. The defendant, aged 27, was apprehended by a paedophile-hunting group after meeting the girl at an Asda supermarket. His sentence mirrored the prior offender’s. Typically, I attend court to cover a single case, but this day was distinct. The judge, Michael Auty KC, would preside over ten cases within five hours.

Nottingham is among the few crown courts implementing “blitz” hearings, designed to expedite dozens of cases daily. Similar programs are active in London, the North East, and North West of England. The initiative will now expand to additional courts across England and Wales, including the Central Criminal Court, or Old Bailey. The goal is to accelerate case resolution by fast-tracking proceedings. These courts handle trials, sentencing, and appeals, though it’s rare for a judge to manage so many cases in a single session.

Nottingham’s blitz sessions occur biweekly. Cases with comparable charges are grouped, allowing efficient use of time. On the day of my visit, the judge delivered ten sentences, four of which pertained to sexual offenses. While addressing legal representatives, Judge Auty KC noted that some cases could have been resolved earlier in lower courts, reducing delays and easing systemic strain.

“You are 44 years old. These offences are mean, manipulative.”

During the hearing, the judge also passed rulings for drug-related charges, public disturbances, and theft. Supporters argue that blitz courts offer advantages: quicker resolutions, earlier plea deals, and improved rehabilitation opportunities for offenders without crowding prison facilities. This approach compels prosecutors to assess case viability early, potentially dismissing weaker ones or opting for lesser penalties.

Victims of crimes, some told their cases may not be resolved until 2030, describe the prolonged waits as intolerable. The current backlog in crown courts is around 80,000 pending cases, double pre-pandemic levels. By year’s end, this number is projected to surpass 100,000, and could reach 200,000 by 2035 if no reforms are enacted. The government has allocated £2.7bn in funding for courts and tribunals this year, an increase from £2.5bn previously, to support the blitz court initiative.