Criminal Litigation

 This case concerned extension of the custody time limit under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, s 22(3) in circumstances where delay had been caused  by listing difficulties at the crown court. 

HELD Where there are real pressures on a court which have been created by exceptional circum­stances, the court should be careful to examine what the reason is and the proposed solution to it and come to a judgment as to whether or not it can properly be said that the reason is one which is exceptional and that the steps that are proposed to alleviate it appear to have a prospect of success (per Lord Justice Latham at para 18).