Mayor backs MPs’ indictment of justice system

Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd

Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has backed a parliamentary report highlighting huge failings in the criminal justice system.

The report by the Public Accounts Committee has described the criminal justice system as being close to breaking point with victims suffering as a result of resource pressures and postcode lotteries. Only 55% of people who have been a witness in court say they would be prepared to do so again, and in Greater Manchester there was only a 1 in 5 chance of a court trial going ahead as scheduled.

Mr Lloyd said: “This is simply not good enough. By the time a case even gets to court, the victim has already been through incredible anguish and anxiety. To have this prolonged because of government cuts, inefficiency, and antiquated systems is disgraceful.

“This is a failure on the part of funding, systems and processes, and is not a reflection on the people who work in and around the courts. Earlier this year I condemned the short-sighted closures of local courts, and other government cuts – for example to legal aid services – have also had an impact, all at a time when issues such as historical sex abuse cases have created a massive demand for all agencies within the criminal justice system.

“This report paints a sorry picture of a criminal justice system that is both underfunded and inefficient. If the government is going to force through cuts to vital services, it must swiftly follow-up with much-needed investment and reform. The system clearly cannot afford to wait years for current reform plans to come into place – urgent action is needed now.

“We’re working hard in Greater Manchester to encourage victims of crime to come forward and report crimes – a step that takes great personal bravery and courage, particularly around crimes such as domestic violence, rape, and child sexual exploitation. The government is badly letting these people down, damaging the trust between victims and criminal justice agencies, and undermining the good work being carried out by many organisations and individuals.

“The last thing we want is for victims of crime to become victims of the criminal justice system – the very system that is supposed to support them. As part of our devolution discussions with central government, our ambition is to explore how we can seek to transform these services in Greater Manchester, creating a criminal justice system with victims at its heart.”