Michael Heath is wrong (Letters, 19 June). A significant jury trial backlog developed because of years of cuts to court sitting days. The problem long predates Covid-19; what the pandemic has done is exacerbate it.
As a barrister, jury trials are my bread and butter. My last trial was abandoned in mid-March. My earnings have plummeted. I’m not eligible for assistance. And now the government mulls a temporary suspension of jury trials. Jury trials are an essential feature of our country. Trial by jury is fair and, crucially, seen as fair. Restricting jury trials would be a huge error.
Some courtrooms are big enough to distance and we can use other idle buildings while the backlog is cleared: sports halls, town halls, theatres, etc. It is simply a question of will.
And “temporary” is likely to be a fiction. Calls for the return of juries will be met by reminders of how large the deficit is. I am utterly opposed to the restriction of jury trials. Criminal justice has in recent history been seen as unworthy of care or investment. That must change, now.
Andrew Vout
Nottingham
