The criminal bar has attacked the government’s claim that 90% of court buildings have reopened, as the number of trials being removed from the calendar remains persistently high.

For the past four months, two-thirds of Britain’s prisoners have been in quasi-solitary confinement, locked in cells for at least 23 hours a day. According to the Prison Reform Trust, evidence indicates this does permanent mental health damage. At this point, prison becomes a life sentence. On any basis, it is barbaric. 

People attending court will be asked to wear face coverings in public areas of courts and tribunals buildings in England from Monday. HM Courts & Tribunals Service chief executive Susan Acland-Hood wrote to representative bodies yesterday announcing the measure, based on the latest advice from Public Health England on minimising Covid-19 risk. 

Controversial consent forms giving police access to phones and other devices in criminal cases are to be replaced, after they were criticised by the Information Commissioner’s Office. In 2019 the National Police Chiefs Council and Crown Prosecution Service announced they were introducing standardised consent forms for allowing access to phones and other devices. However, the Centre for Women’s Justice said the forms were unlawful, discriminatory and led to excessive and intrusive disclosure requests.

Curbs on jury trials would be an ‘assault on justice’ criminal lawyers have said, urging the government to use extra buildings as courts to clear the backlog.

The criminal justice system in England and Wales is facing a backlog of 40,000 criminal cases, which will not be solved even if all crown courts are brought into service under physical distancing rules, the Criminal Bar Association has warned.