Pandemic Caused Court Backlog of ‘Grave Concern’ in England and Wales: Report

The "Lady of Justice", a 12-foot-high, gold leaf statue is pictured on top of the dome of the Central Criminal Court, commonly referred to as The Old Bailey, in central London on Aug. 21, 2016. Niklas Halle'n/AFP via Getty Images

The pandemic has caused a backlog of “grave concern” in courts in England and Wales, according to the national justice watchdogs, with the number of people in prison awaiting trial rising by 20 percent.

Almost half of all courts were closed and jury trials halted in March in England and Wales during the first wave of the (Chinese Communist Party) CCP virus, also known as the novel coronavirus. Jury trials were reintroduced in May, with three-quarters of Crown Court buildings now back in use.