The Criminal Justice System and the Olympics

Soon London will start to celebrate holding the 2012 Olympic Games and HMCTS London has been developing its plans in conjunction with a number of partner agencies, organisations and contractors at the inter-agency Olympics Planning Group, chaired by HMCTS London Region Head of Crime, Dave Weston, and judicial and inter agency Olympics Working Group, chaired by HHJ Radford.  Paul Harris (a former President of the LCCSA) is the defence representative on the Group.

Two main Multi-Agency Criminal Justice groups, one jointly chaired by HHJ Radford and the SPJ Lord Goldring, have been leading on developing effective joint contingency arrangements to ensure that the Criminal Justice System continues to function effectively during the Games period and that any additional Games-related workload is dealt with speedily. Membership of both groups include solicitors Paul Harris (past president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association) and Malcolm Duxbury (immediate past president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association) as well as a member of the Legal Services Commission.

The Olympics (27 Jul to 12 Aug) is likely to create a bigger than usual challenge for all criminal justice agencies, including HMCTS, and Defence practitioners.  As a result, special sittings arrangements have been agreed with the judiciary for those courts and tribunals closest to the venues, travel hotspots and the Olympic Route Network. Separately contingency plans are being developed and agreed with judiciary and partner agencies should more than expected crime workload be received.