Avon and Somerset Court delays soar : Residents are losing faith says the WECA Mayor

Figures show that Avon and Somerset are in the top ten worst places in the country for delays to justice.

At the local magistrates, the number of outstanding cases has risen a whopping 85% since the pandemic, and is up by 6,629 when compared to two years ago.

The record backlogs are part of a wider pattern of failure in the criminal justice system. Nationwide rape offences have hit the highest number on record, at 61,000, but just 1.4% led to a suspect being charged, and there were only 1,333 convictions.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: " The record courts backlog shows just how weak the Tories really are on law and order. The delays at magistrates courts really matter.

"When I talk to local shopkeepers who have been the victims of shop lifting they are so frustrated by the amount of time it takes for anything to happen. It's sending completely the wrong message to the wrong doers.

"People are losing faith in the system and not even bothering to call the police, and the criminals cotton on to that, and it leads to a vicious downwards spiral. Instead of trying to rip up the rules to defend their sleazy friends, the Conservatives should focus their efforts on cleaning up the mess they've made of the courts and getting local justice working again."