Plaid MP warns jury trial reforms risk ‘undermining basic tenets of law’

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts has warned that UK Government plans to restrict jury trials will not solve the deepening crisis facing courts in Wales.

Raising the issue in the House of Commons on Tuesday, the Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP challenged Justice Secretary David Lammy over proposals to remove jury trials for many “either-way” offences and create new judge-only “swift courts”.

Jury trials would instead be reserved for the most serious crimes—such as murder and rape—and for offences likely to carry sentences of more than three years.

Citing problems at Caernarfon Justice Centre in her own constituency, Ms Saville Roberts said Wales’ courts were buckling under staff shortages, deteriorating buildings and administrative failures, insisting that restricting juries “undermines one of the basic tenets of English and Welsh law” without addressing the underlying issues.

“Caernarfon Justice Centre is only 16 years old but the roof leaks when it’s raining and the heating doesn’t work,” she told MPs.

“Magistrates’ courts and crown courts are processing fewer cases because of high workloads, inexperience, poor administration and crumbling buildings. How will eroding jury rights solve any of those problems?”

In response, Mr Lammy said jury trials would remain the “cornerstone” of the justice system for the most serious offences, but insisted urgent reform was needed to reduce “agonising delays” for victims, with the crown court backlog projected to exceed 100,000 cases by 2028.

‘Systemic reform’

Quoting the recent review by Sir Brian Leveson, he said greater funding alone would not fix the system: “It is not fair to ask victims to wait. We are investing, but systemic reform is required.”

Under the plans, defendants will no longer be able to elect a jury trial for mid-level “either-way” offences such as burglary, threats to kill or dangerous dog cases.

Those likely to receive a sentence of three years or less would instead appear before a single judge in a new Crown Court Bench Division.

Magistrates’ sentencing powers will also increase from 12 months to 18 months, with the option to extend to 24.

Modelling by the Ministry of Justice suggests around three-quarters of cases sent to crown court would still be heard by a jury.

But opposition to the changes has been swift. The Law Society warned the reforms “erode our fundamental right to be judged by a jury of our peers”, while former judges and legal academics questioned whether judge-only trials would meaningfully reduce the backlog.

Chronic underinvestment

After the session, Ms Saville Roberts said: “Juries are not the problem – chronic underinvestment is. Justice in Wales will continue to be delayed unless the UK Government fixes the basics: buildings, staffing, admin and support for victims. Even in watered-down form, restricting jury trials sets a dangerous precedent.”

Sir Brian Leveson has defended his recommendations, arguing there is “no silver bullet” and that juries are not guaranteed under constitutional or human rights law. However, he acknowledged reforms must be balanced against fairness and public confidence.