Clause 36 - Application by defendant for trial to be conducted without jury
Criminal Justice Bill
10:45 am
Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West, Labour)
The hon. Gentleman says that we have heard nothing about speed of process. In his experience, do people sometimes opt for a magistrates court trial, contrary to legal advice, because they will get a speedier trial there and they want to get through the process faster than they would by going through the rigmarole of a Crown court trial? A defendant who opts for the process might think that he will have a quicker trial, so we have heard about the speed of trial process; it is one thing that a defendant might want to take into account.