Kent's Crown Court case backlog rises by 46%
GoogleThe number of Crown Court cases waiting to be heard in Kent has risen, despite the opening of a "Nightingale Court" in Maidstone.
The temporary courts were set up last summer to help clear the backlog of hearings caused by the pandemic.
Between July and September, 2,126 cases remained unheard - a rise of 46% over the same period in 2020.
Kent's police and crime commissioner (PCC) has asked the government to fund more capacity in Crown Courts.
The temporary Nightingale Court was set up for non-custodial cases so nearby Maidstone Crown Court could be freed up to hear jury trials, which require cells and secure dock facilities.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has agreed to extend the use of the temporary court for 18 months.
Kent's PCC, Matthew Scott, said: "What we really need is extra Crown Court capacity to deal with the backlog of criminal trials we've got.
"The Nightingale Courts helped with certain matters, but they're not helping us make sufficient progress in some of the Crown Court matters."
Across England more than 57,000 Crown Court cases were outstanding between July and September 2021 - a rise of 17% on the same period the previous year.
A spokesman for the MoJ said: "Despite the unprecedented impact of the pandemic our actions to keep justice moving are working and we have started to see a fall in court backlogs in the South East.
"We are doing everything possible to return the swift access to justice victims deserve with new Nightingale courtrooms, increased sentencing powers for magistrates and almost half a billion being invested to drive recovery in the courts."
