A BACKLOG of cases continues to build up at Worcester courts due to the coronavirus pandemic with priority given to prisoners and urgent domestic violence offences.

We have previously reported how some high profile cases have been delayed at Worcester Magistrates Court and the city’s crown court due to measures introduced to contain the spread of Covid-19. Only judges and court staff are attending Worcester Crown Court with all hearings over the telephone or via videolink to halt the spread of the virus.

Jury trials across the UK were halted in March due to the virus with the Ministry of Justice working to restart trials “as soon as possible.”

The Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett has said radical measures will be needed to restart trials during the coronavirus restrictions which could include turning buildings like university lecture theatre halls into court rooms, and having fewer jurors, a measure used in World War Two.

Mark Sheward, a Worcester solicitor, said: “It is quite difficult at the moment as the courts have been concentrating on overnight prisoners and urgent cases connected with Covid-19 and domestic violence cases of an urgent nature.

“The courts have been very proactive in trying to set up video links so that everyone can attend the court remotely and this is due to come on-line, for other cases, in the next couple of days.

“There will undoubtedly be a huge backlog of cases when we are able to start attending court again.”