Part one of Sir Brian Leveson’s criminal courts review came in at a whopping 378 pages, so Obiter was expecting part two to be what we grizzled old hacks are vulgarly wont to call a ‘bogblocker’. Sir Brian delivered: 1,078 pages split over two volumes. Fortunately, the executive summary was a more manageable 50 pages, which Obiter read ahead of a media briefing with his lordship at MoJ HQ.

Part one concerned policy – notably, restricting the right to jury trials, which predictably provoked uproar. Part two, concerning Crown court efficiency, is rather more prosaic and certain to be less controversial.

Our favourite among an eyestrain-inducing 135 recommendations was 129: allowing prison vans to use bus lanes so defendants can get to court on time. We look forward to the road signs: perhaps a cartoon villain, with a bag marked ‘swag’? 

Swag

Another notable recommendation is creating the new role of ‘prime minister’s criminal justice adviser’. Isn’t that supposed to be the lord chancellor’s job?

One plucky journalist asked if Leveson was putting himself forward for the role. We didn’t hear the former Queen’s Bench president say ‘no’, so let’s wait and see.  

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