6th October 2009
Summary “Justice” in the UK
Mark Hanson
Yesterday (5th Oct) there were reports in the newspapers that Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, had backtracked on plans to extend fixed penalty notices to 20 additional offences.
Yet despite this wise decision, which was prompted by complaints from both police and magistrates, we are still in a position in the UK where “summary justice” takes place.
The Magistrates Association said themselves that the police “cannot be relied on” to hand out summary sentences, a situation in which a police constable can find himself being the arresting officer, custody sergeant, director of public prosecutions, trial judge, jury and sentencing authority, all within the space of one minute.
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, has also warned that the balance is “wrong” and needs reviewing.
We all want our streets to be safe, yet the trend in summary justice is giving a large amount of power to inadequately trained police officers, and is more likely to alienate offenders rather than promote peace. The proper scrutiny of a court is vital to British justice, and the Justice Secretary’s continuing desire to “streamline” justice (just as Labour has “streamlined” Parliament by riding roughshod over the British constitution) is a worrying trend.
