Courts: Judges warn over jurors aged over 70

Allowing people over 70 to serve as jurors in courts risks substantial disruption to criminal trials, judges said.

The Council of Circuit Judges, which represents more than 600 judges in England and Wales, said it had come to the "firm conclusion that there is no compelling case to alter the status quo".

While allowing over-70s to serve may increase the numbers who are not seeking financial recompense for jury service, the council warned that estimates that up to 50 per cent of over-70s would feel they were not up to the role "is significant and cannot be ignored".

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Any potential savings may turn out to be illusory. Consideration would also have to be given to increasing the retirement age for judges, magistrates and tribunal members or risk them retiring only to be asked to perform a similar service as jurors.

The judge's comments, in a report by Judge David Swift, chairman of the council's criminal sub-committee, came in response to proposals from the Ministry of Justice in March.

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