Abandon some jury trials or fund crisis-hit system, former chief justice says

Exclusive: Lord Thomas says there has been political failure to either properly invest in justice or make hard decisions

Ministers should consider abandoning jury trials for some crown court cases unless they properly fund a justice system “in serious crisis”, the former lord chief justice has said.

Lord Thomas said there had been a “political failure” by successive governments to invest in justice or make the difficult decisions needed to protect it.