Jack Straw asserted that the right of defendants to choose jury trials for mid-range offences should be scrapped, describing it as a "ridiculous anomaly" that enables manipulation of the system.
In his view, the choice of a jury trial suggests a lack of faith in magistrates' courts, which is concerning because it undermines the quality of justice they provide.
Mr Straw expressed reassurance that while there would be significant backlash against removing this right to elect jury trial, he believes this uproar would eventually subside.
The call to remove this right aligns with a broader governmental effort to address the unprecedented backlog in the crown court system, which reached over 73,000 cases.
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