LONDON COURT TARGETS IN DISARRAY

6.05.53pm GMT Wed 28th Jan 2004

Government figures released today reveal that the new London criminal justice boards are failing to hit its targets for improving the performance of the criminal justice system.

Today's publication reveals London is failing to hit three key targets:

Ø The number of trials which are scheduled but postponed

Ø The time it takes to get suspects through the court system

Ø The proportion of fines where the offender pays up.

Commenting on the figures, Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes MP said:

"These figures show that despite all his bluff and bluster Mayor Livingstone's bid to cut crime is stuck in the mud. The prosecution and punishment of criminals should be swift and certain. Delays, adjournments and weak enforcement of fines do not send the message that the courts mean business."

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The statistics are published at http://www.cjs.gov.uk/working/stats/2003/q2/summary.html

2. In 2002/03, 60% of fines imposed at magistrate's courts in London went unpaid. London had the highest proportion of unpaid fines in the country except for Merseyside. See http://www.dca.gov.uk/enforcement/mccreview/financial.pdf