Victims feel ‘failed’ by justice system, PCC says

Sarah Taylor became Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk in May

Victims of crime feel they have been "failed" by the criminal justice system, a police and crime commissioner (PCC) has warned.

Recent figures showed almost 1,000 outstanding cases at Norwich Crown Court, following unprecedented backlogs across England and Wales.

Sarah Taylor, who became Norfolk's PCC in May, said delayed trials were a concern to county residents she had spoken to, with people feeling it was "putting their hopes of justice on hold".

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said inherited a criminal justice system "in crisis" with a court backlog record that was still rising, but was committed to "bearing down on the backlog".

Backlogs in court are an issue nationally, with numbers doubling since the pandemic

"A lot of people have told me about the problems they have faced with the wider criminal justice system," Ms Taylor said.

"Victims of crime have been asking for help and have said they feel they are being failed.

"This is due to problems like long waits for trials that are rescheduled."

The wellbeing of young people was an issue frequently raised, with some services such as youth groups being cut due to a lack of funding.

Ms Taylor continued: "I have heard from lots of front-line staff like teachers that there are gaps in safety nets for children.”

The PCC has set out a series of priorities as part of her public consultation, which runs until 2 November.

They include restoring trust in policing, focussing on the prevention of crime and improving road safety.

An MoJ spokesperson said: "Whilst we are bound by a difficult financial inheritance we are committed to bearing down on the backlog.

"We will soon extend magistrates' sentencing powers from six to 12 months, freeing up 2,000 days in the Crown Courts to handle the most serious cases."