Law chief says justice delays at Leeds Crown Court are a 'massive worry'

Lubna Shuja, the current president of The Law Society of England and Wales, expressed her concerns to the Yorkshire Evening Post about the backlog of cases plaguing the Oxford Row court in the city centre, as both victims and defendants face increasing waits.

In some cases, in which defendants have pleaded not-guilty, they will not face trial until 2025 as the court diaries rapidly fill up.

Mrs Shuja said alarming statistics show that between October and December last year, the average time for a case to come to completion at Leeds was 264 days.

By comparison, the time at Sheffield Crown Court is 134 days, which Mrs Shuja said was “even too high”.

During a recent visit to the area, she raised concerns about Leeds Crown Court and said: “From start to finish, it has just gone up and up. It has been happening since Covid started and has not gone down. It’s a real concern. A year ago it was 255 days and it’s only going in one direction. It really is a massive worry.

“You have to remember also that behind every case there is a victim, a defendant, witnesses and families who are all experiencing long delays. There’s uncertainty hanging over them and there are victims who are just not seeing justice happen. It’s unacceptable.”

Mrs Shuja said there are still more than 62,400 cases across England and Wales backlogged, largely caused by the courts closing during the pandemic, but which continues to lengthen since they re-opened.

Mrs Shuja, who is originally from Bradford, said The Law Society has “strong views” on the causes, with the ongoing controversy over legal aid rates being a primary factor.

In short, legal aid is Government subsidises for solicitors to help defendants who can’t afford their own legal representation. An independent study found there had been no increase in legal aid fees in 25 years and swift action was urged.

Due to the low rates, many solicitors practicing criminal law have struggled make ends meet and have left the industry. Indeed, the number of solicitors over the past 12 years has halved from 1,800 to just 900.

The knock-on effect means many defendants are being left without legal representation, which then delays their cases being processed.

A survey also found many courts in the country are not fit for purpose, with many in a dilapidated state – although this may not be such a prevalent issue at Leeds which is a relatively new building having been opened in the 1980s.

Mrs Shuja said The Law Society has produced a report – Justice Delayed – in which they urge the Government to invest properly in legal aid, in court buildings and create better data as to all areas where funding is required the most.

The Law Society represents more than 220,000 solicitors across England and Wales, providing services and support.

Mrs Shuja, a solicitor by trade, was appointed president in October 2022 and will hold the position for a year. She is only the seventh woman to be named president since its inception in 1825, and is the first Asian Muslim.