Portable cabins set up for juries at three Yorkshire courts to help tackle coronavirus backlog

Temporary jury rooms have been installed at courts across Yorkshire as part of a government move to tackle the impact of coronavirus on the justice system.

Crown courts in Leeds, Bradford, and Hull are the first to benefit from new portable buildings set up for jurors to deliberate.

The step will free up eight courtrooms to hear more cases and deliver speedier justice for victims.

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The portable facilities provide sufficient space for two metre social distancing and come equipped with Plexiglass screens as well as hand sanitation stations.

Bradford Crown Court.Bradford Crown Court.
Bradford Crown Court.

The buildings are being rapidly installed across the country as part of efforts to alleviate pressure on courts and tribunals resulting from the pandemic, which has included the opening of a Nightingale Court at Cloth Hall in Leeds.

Courts Minister Chris Philp said: “These additional facilities will help to boost the capacity of these courts – reducing delays and ensuring speedier justice for the people of Yorkshire.

“This is the latest step in our plan to work with the judiciary and legal sector in pursuing every available option to ensure our courts recover as quickly as possible.”

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Two modular buildings have been installed at Bradford Combined Court, four at Leeds Combined Court and two at Hull Combined Court.

Ministry of Justice figures previously showed there were 44,746 outstanding crown court cases at the end of July but this had risen to 47,255 by the end of August, data released earlier this month showed.

Although the backlog in magistrates’ courts had fallen by around 500 from 444,745 to 444,177, the total backlog of criminal cases in England and Wales rose again and remained close to half a million (491,432).

Nightingale courts which are already open are operating at 80 per cent capacity, higher than the average court before the pandemic. So far 12 are open, four of which are hearing criminal cases while others deal with family and civil matters.

Another five more are due to open later this month.