Recommendation 45

It is plausible that judge only trials will prove to be more efficient than jury trials, as the evidence shows they are in Canada. However, to ensure that their operation enhances the overall efficiency of the criminal courts, their introduction must be carefully managed to avoid introducing unnecessary complexity that could undermine any time-savings gained. Under the proposals in the bill, it will be possible for an either-way case with a likely sentence of between two and three years to be subject to two separate allocation determinations, in the magistrates’ court and the Crown Court, before the case is tried. (Conclusion, Paragraph 158)