Human toll of Crown Court delays on victims revealed in new report

Many victims of the most serious offences – including rape, murder, robbery and serious physical assaults – are facing years-long waits for justice in the Crown Courts. The report reveals how victims are struggling to cope with the lengthy delays, with many unable to work or resume their everyday lives.

The report highlights that frequent adjournments and extended wait times cause victims “immense stress, severely impacting their mental and physical health”. For some, the strain has led to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drug and alcohol use, and even self-harm, as they navigate the ongoing uncertainty and trauma.

These delays intensify victims’ trauma, disrupting their lives, straining relationships, and threatening employment and financial stability, the report says. Support staff working with younger victims reported examples of their education and future prospects being interrupted at critical stages – setbacks that could affect them for life.

Baroness Newlove’s report comes as Crown Court backlogs in England and Wales hit record levels. Official government data shows that by the end of September 2024, there were 73,105 outstanding cases – the highest on record. In response to this crisis, the Government announced an independent review of the criminal courts in December 2024, led by Sir Brian Leveson.

The report also found that many victims arrive at court prepared to give evidence, only to be turned away at the last minute. The Victims’ Commissioner reveals that nearly 48 per cent of victims with a scheduled trial date had it changed at least once, often repeatedly, before finally going ahead.

Exclusive analysis of court service data also shows that an increasing number of trials are being postponed on the day – not just once or twice, but three times or more.

According to the data, the number of completed Crown Court cases where the trial was rescheduled more than three times on the very day of the trial has quadrupled, surging from 20 in 2019/20 to 87 in 2023/24.

Given the current unprecedented number of outstanding cases in the Crown Court system, it is expected that this figure has not yet reached its peak, the Victims’ Commissioner says.

Baroness Newlove said: “For far too many victims, justice now feels out of reach. For those affected by the most serious crimes, reporting has become a years-long ordeal. These delays don’t just prolong the process – they deepen the trauma. Victims’ lives are put on hold, relationships are strained, and their jobs and prospects are threatened. Justice should never come at such a cost.

“The least victims deserve is an explanation, but communication can be  poor and inconsistent, often delivered at the eleventh hour. Some victims told us they only  learn about adjournments at the last minute – often without being told why, or when the trial might next take place.

“The crisis in our Crown Courts is also placing immense pressure on our vital victim services, already stretched thin with growing waiting lists.

“These services are crucial to helping victims cope, recover, and stay engaged throughout the court process. But with funding cuts looming, we face the very real threat of reduced support. I fear this will drive some victims to give up on seeking justice altogether – a second injustice compounding the first.”

Mila, whose name has been changed to protect anonymity, was one of the victims who shared their experiences They said: “I’m 30 now and I was 25 when I reported. I feel like I can’t remember the second half of my 20s. The only memory I’ve got of the second half of my 20s is going through the court system because that’s all you can think about and your life gets put on hold… literally it’s like I woke up one day and I’d lost five years of my life.”

More than a third (36 per cent) of victims stated they were not given an explanation when their trial date was changed. Poor communication was cited as making an already difficult process even harder, leaving victims unaware of the full extent of delays, uncertain about what to expect, and often notified of adjournments at the last minute.

The report says this highlights the need for a dedicated point of contact to provide clear updates and consistent support throughout the court process – something the Victims’ Commissioner urges the Ministry of Justice to explore.

Describing the lack of information, Mila, added: “Not being told stuff until the last minute is just horrendous because they don’t realise that is your life, for weeks leading up to it, and it’s particularly annoying when you know that that information could have been available to you sooner.

“If something happens last minute, that’s just rubbish, you know, and nobody can help that. But when you know that something’s been simmering for a few weeks, and nobody’s given you the heads up. That’s horrible.”

Delays were found not only to increase the risk of victims withdrawing from the process but also to erode public confidence in the justice system.

Professional victim support services play a crucial role in helping victims to cope and stay engaged with the criminal justice process long-term. However, these organisations are also feeling the impacts of the court crisis, the report says.

Victims are remaining in the system longer, creating unmanageable caseloads that jeopardise the quality and consistency of support, contributing to high levels of stress, burnout and high staff turnover. Directors of services have described the pressures as “unsustainable”.

The report calls for emergency funding to victim support services to help them manage the increased caseloads arising from the court backlog crisis.

These services face cuts to their government funding, announced in late 2024. At the time, the Victims’ Commissioner called on the Government to reverse these planned cuts to victim services and exempt these charities from increased national insurance contributions. The findings of this report only strengthen those calls, she said.

Responding to the Victims’ Commissioner’s report on the impact of the courts backlog on victims, victim services and the wider criminal justice system, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners joint leads on the criminal justice system, Donna Jones and Danielle Stone, said: “We welcome the Victims’ Commissioner’s report highlighting the additional trauma being caused to victims because of court delays and adjournments.

“As police and crime commissioners we have long called for focused intervention to tackle the failings that cause such delays. Each of us, through the local victim services we fund and through our leadership of our Local Criminal Justice Boards, hear similar stories of victims being let down by our criminal justice system.

“We all need to come together to drive improvements that see a steady fall in the backlog of cases. Our criminal justice system depends on victims coming forward to give evidence