Government defeats latest jury trial amendment

The government has managed to defeat an amendment to the Courts and Tribunals Bill that would have enabled defendants to elect a jury trial.

The public bill committee met for the first time yesterday since an evidence session before the Easter recess to begin line-by-line scrutiny of the legislation and debate various amendments that have been tabled by MPs opposing curbs on jury trials.

The government was able to retain the first two clauses of the bill, which remove the right to elect a jury trial and the right to object to a venue, after nine committee members voted in favour of retaining them as currently drafted while six voted against.

However, the committee still has several more amendments to get through, including one tabled by Labour MPs Charlotte Nichols and Stella Creasy on specialist courts for sexual offences and domestic abuse cases. Rebel MPs within Labour believe specialist courts and Crown court efficiency measures would render curbs on jury trials unnecessary.

Yesterday’s committee session was, at times, animated, such as when the Conservative’s Rebecca Paul told MPs that ‘most people who know about the justice system are against these changes’ and telling Labour members across the table that they had forgotten who they are and who they represent.

At one point, courts minister Sarah Sackman directly addressed the camera. 'For those watching on TV, which is probably my mum, I'll be absolutely clear. The government is not abolishing jury trials. The government is preserving jury trials for the most serious cases.' 

The committee’s scrutiny resumes on Thursday.