Times letters: Junking juries and the pursuit of swift justice

Times

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Sir, I agree with Frances Gibb ('Don't assume that junking juries will speed up justice', comment, Jul 7) and unless strong and immediate opposition is mounted to resist any further attempts to dilute trial by jury, in my opinion it can only be a matter of time before it is abolished altogether. Chronic under-funding is not solved by creating a parallel system with inadequate resources, human and financial, as well as fewer safeguards against miscarriages of justice. Trial by jury is slower and more expensive than trial by judge and magistrates, but we should cherish and protect a system that puts the right to a fair trial by an impartial tribunal — the jury — before anything else. Ronald Thwaites KC Esher, Surrey
Sir, I prosecuted many fraud cases during my career at the Bar ('Fraud suspects 'will lose their right to jury trial' ', news, Jul 5). The essential question in all of these cases was the same: namely, was the defendant behaving honestly or not. That is classically a question for a jury to use their varied worldly knowledge and experience to determine and my experience was that they did so very well. Of course, they were always directed that they must be sure of guilt to convict and must acquit in cases of reasonable doubt, which sometimes produced acquittals in cases where a single judge (or I) would probably have convicted. Cost and delay are, no doubt, concerns, but I would be very reluctant to make fundamental changes to a system which has served the interests of justice so well for so many years. Lawrence Griffiths Prosecuting counsel to HM Inland Revenue, 1969-93; standing counsel to HM Customs and Excise, 1989-93
Sir, The indication that specialist judges might in future preside over fraud trials represents common sense, not simply a means of reducing the huge backlog of cases. Some years ago I followed closely a particular trial at Southwark crown court. The first day was mostly taken up with the selection of a jury for a trial expected to last for at least two months. The judge heard pleas from potential jurors who had holidays booked and various medical appointments to attend, but the day was crowned by one candidate who stood up and said she simply could not concentrate for that amount of time. She was excused. When the trial began, there were long explanations about how a profit and loss account is compiled, accrual accounting and revenue recognition in a technology business. It became obvious to those of us in the visitors' gallery that three or four of the jurors had little idea of what was going on. Sure enough, many weeks later the jury failed to reach a verdict and the trial collapsed. Several years later I met someone at the Financial Conduct Authority, who explained that this had been one of the simpler cases and it could not contemplate taking many of the more complex ones to court. John White Petworth, W Sussex
Sir, I have had more than 50 years' practice in the criminal courts (both prosecuting and defending, and also as a judge). I think it is quite wrong for any one person to be able to decide on guilt or innocence followed by a potentially long sentence of imprisonment and criminal bankruptcy. Most English judges are fair, but some are notorious for their prejudice in favour of the prosecution. The jury system is essential to protect the public against oppressive judges, police officers or even governments. As that great judge Lord Devlin wrote: It is the lamp that shows that freedom lives. Robert Rhodes KC London WC2
Sir, I am sure that Lord Evans of Weardale is doing his very best within the confines of whatever guidelines and time he has been given to find a new Archbishop of Canterbury (news, Jul 5, and letter, Jul 7), but the committee he chairs seems to have arrived at a situation where they have decided not to decide what to decide until they have decided what to do. I had a discussion a month ago with a senior churchman and suggested that six months is a long time to leave the Church of England leaderless and rudderless, and we should copy the example of the Catholic Church, who found their new Pope in less than three weeks. The CofE should set up a conclave of bishops. The conduct of it should be the same, with the bishops out of contact with the outside world until they reach a decision. It was suggested that I should write to the King, as head of the Church, to make that proposal. I have not yet done that but I am sure that he reads The Times. Alastair Stewart Nunnington, N Yorks
Sir, Why does the letter from former ambassadors ('Recognise Palestine', Jul 7) fail to mention Hamas, the October 7 attacks that started this latest conflict or the hostages that were kidnapped and are still being held, but instead heaps all the blame on Israel, when the biggest barrier to peace in the Middle East has always been the threats its enemies pose to Israel's security? I too want to see a Palestinian state and have campaigned for that for decades, but the 'unconditional' recognition the letter calls for would mean doing so before any negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on security, borders, Jerusalem or the status of settlements and would, of course, leave Hamas in place, something to which Israel can obviously not agree. Lord Austin of Dudley House of Lords
Sir, It is telling that the letter signed by some two dozen former ambassadors does not include one who formerly served as an ambassador to Israel. They would understand the impractical and unhelpful nature of this suggestion and presumably refused to sign. Lord Leigh of Hurley House of Lords
Sir, It is clear that, with the burgeoning numbers, there needs to be a redefinition of children's learning difficulties and disabilities ('PM facing fresh revolt over special needs help', news, Jul 7). We first need to recognise that most conditions are on a continuum; yet there is an increasing tendency to attribute a fixed label to those conditions, whatever the degree, and often after constant pressure from importunate parents. Moderate needs can and should be addressed within mainstream schools, with more specialist teachers and earlier intervention, as Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, states. Those on the severe end of the spectrum only should require a special school. The current route to this is through an EHCP (education, health and care plan). This is a lengthy and costly process for local authorities who, understandably, wish to avoid parents taking them to tribunals.
Phillipson is looking into ways of reforming the unwieldy system of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support. We must hope that she will not be impeded by the Labour backbench brigade. Susan Bickley Ret'd teacher; Huntingdon, Cambs
Sir, Before the EHCP was introduced in 2014, the school where I taught had a thriving special needs department with teaching assistants who could work with teachers on lesson material and assist a wide number of students with various needs. The department was decimated by the change in funding, leaving certain students with full-time help but all others with none. The year I retired, in 2019, the school even lost its nurture teacher due to a lack of funding. Meanwhile, the school was paying for a 'super head' and accountants at vast expense due to the switch to becoming an academy trust. Much needs reform, not only special needs help, but parents are not going to want to lose the support for their child. The government is in an impossible position until everyone accepts the reality of what we all face and that no system is ever perfect. Amanda Walker Ret'd teacher; Walkington, East Riding
Sir, Your correspondents (letters, Jul 7) focused on the impact of AI on older children and young adults. As a preparatory school headmaster (now retired 12 years), I was often asked what was my school's academic focus in the primary years. I used to say with conviction that a core aim was to equip our pupils with the academic skills that would sustain them for life if they did not have access to computers and calculators 'if the lights went out': the four rules of number; times tables; percentages; a love of reading; accurate spelling; and cursive handwriting — the last enabling them to write from the heart a love letter or a letter of condolence. Nicholas Allen Chairman, Independent Association of Preparatory Schools, 2012-13; Ipswich
Sir, Specialists value hospital resources (letter, Jul 7), but in the first instance the public crave prompt access to a medical opinion, with onward referral only if necessary. A 'neighbourhood health service' and enhanced technology (the NHS app and AI especially) could facilitate this and also free up hospitals to concentrate on delivering high-class tertiary care. Many community hospitals have closed and 'Darzi centres', modelled on Continental polyclinics, were never fully implemented. Let's give Wes Streeting the chance to restore quick, effective local primary healthcare. Tim Williams Ret'd consultant surgeon; Waldron, E Sussex
Sir, Matthew Parris (comment, Jul 7) refers to economics as a dismal science. Dismal, yes. Science, no. The Rev Dr JE Roulston Bonnyrigg, Midlothian
Sir, Further to your leading article on village cricket (Jul 7), judges have considered similar issues in the past and agreed with your views. Perhaps one of the most memorable is Lord Denning's dissent in Miller v Jackson (1977) where he found that it was not a nuisance that cricket balls were occasionally hit on to the property neighbouring the Lintz cricket club in Co Durham. He may have got some things (dreadfully) wrong in the past, but he got this right, saying 'in summertime, village cricket is the delight of everyone' and arguing that the cricketers of Lintz should continue to play. Quite apart from all the personal benefits of playing the sport, cricket is quintessentially British; it should be allowed to thrive. Anthony Philips London, W11
Sir, Those complaining about the possibility of cricket balls hitting them or their property might consider the example of Sir William Worsley, who captained Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the 1920s. He gave a monetary reward to any batsman who broke his library window in Hovingham Hall, thus encouraging local talent. Complainants might also consider who was there first. Ann Gray Beverley, East Riding
Sir, As a parent whose eldest son went to Eton and youngest to Michaelhouse in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, I've attended my fair share of matches at both schools over the years ('Rugby parents told off for touchline opulence', world, Jul 7). While at Eton, the June 4 celebrations steadily evolved into picnics with unbelievable extravagance, more worthy of being at a grand opera, whereas picnics at Michaelhouse remained reassuringly rustic: a sausage out of a farmer's 4×4 possibly still sizzling from the veld. How things are changing! Louisa Woods Greens Norton, Northants
Sir, My parents always claimed to have had three weddings ('To have and to hold two weddings', Jul 7). Living in Chile in the 1930s, the first was the civil wedding, the legal element; next came a church one, a few days before they sailed for Liverpool. While at sea, the captain performed their third. In the 1980s they celebrated their 50th anniversary — but only the once. Alison Rollin Ruislip, Middx
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