One in four of these cases—more than 18,000—have been outstanding for a year or more.
The magistrates’ court backlog also increased, rising 13% from 273,498 in March 2024 to 310,304 this year.
Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: ‘Everyone of us should be able to access justice in a timely fashion regardless of background.
‘But right now, thousands of victims, witnesses and defendants are denied this vital public service due to the slow speed of justice. Sufficient funding of our courts and those who work within them could free them from the legal limbo caused by long waits.
‘The Independent Review of the Criminal Courts and Independent Sentencing Review must be backed with sufficient investment as must the legal aid system which underpins them.’
