Juries must be a fundamental part of the criminal justice system - Hughes

8.57.27pm GMT Thu 25th Jan 2007

Commenting on today's debate on the Fraud (Trial Without a Jury) Bill, Liberal Democrat Shadow Attorney General, Simon Hughes MP said:

"The Government case for getting rid of jury trials for serious fraud cases does not improve with repetition.

"Juries are a fundamental guarantee that the public is part of the criminal justice system in serious criminal trials, just as lay magistrates guarantee the participation of ordinary people in less serious cases.

"Now as much as ever we need to increase confidence in the criminal justice system, not threaten it.

"The public may not trust politicians and they may not always agree with judges, but juries still command enormous public respect and must be retained."

Applicability: this item refers to England and Wales. Due to devolution, detailed policy may be different in other areas of the UK.