The backlog of cases in the crown courts of England and Wales has reached a record high, with more victims waiting over a year for their cases to be heard, according to new figures from the Ministry of Justice. As of the end of June, there were 80,829 outstanding crown court cases, marking a significant increase over previous years.
Among these, 23,706 cases have been pending for 12 months or longer, a 22% rise from 19,384 cases recorded a year earlier. Additionally, 7,255 cases had been open for at least two years, up 15% from 6,295 in June 2025, setting another record. Sexual offences, which constitute nearly a quarter of cases delayed for a year or more, have also increased in proportion. As of June 30, 5,495 sexual offence cases—including 2,563 rape cases—had been open for a year or longer, compared to 4,014 such cases a year earlier, with 1,804 involving rape.
The overall length of crown court cases has also grown. The median duration of an open case reached 203 days in June, surpassing 200 days for the first time. This figure has risen steadily from 168 days in June 2024 and 197 days at the end of March 2026.
The backlog has nearly doubled over the past six years, rising from 43,403 outstanding cases in June 2020 to its current level. The latest tally is slightly up from 80,437 at the end of March 2026 and 3% higher than the 78,226 cases recorded a year ago.
Magistrates’ courts are also experiencing record delays, with 380,230 pending cases as of June, a 9% increase from 347,365 the previous year.
Officials have warned that without significant reforms, it could take "nearly 300 years" to clear the current backlog to pre-pandemic levels. One proposed measure to shorten delays involves reducing the number of jury trials, but this approach has drawn criticism. Justice Secretary Alex Norris has faced calls to abandon the plan amid concerns over impacts to defendants' rights. The Conservatives’ shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, accused the Labour government of prioritising restrictions on jury trials rather than addressing court delays effectively.
Courts Minister Sarah Sackman acknowledged the scale of the challenge, emphasising that reducing the backlog is a key government priority. She stated that efforts are underway on multiple fronts to expedite case processing and improve the justice system.
Among offence categories, violence against the person remains the largest group of cases pending for at least a year, representing 30% of such cases, up from 29% in 2025 and 25% in 2024.
Legal leaders called for urgent action to deal with mounting court delays. Mark Evans, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, urged the government to adopt a comprehensive, long-term reform plan. Similarly, Andrew Thomas KC, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, noted a recent slowdown in the backlog’s growth but stressed the need for practical measures targeting the root causes of delay and increased investment to better serve victims.