The steps Lammy should take to end court delays

By MALCOM TATTERSALL

IF Justice Secretary David Lammy really wants to end the long delays in our judicial system, then, rather than ignoring the Magna Carta and abolishing jury trials, he’d be far better off bringing back “the police station steps”.

 

Watch any of these Police Custody programmes on telly these days and everybody who gets arrested just keeps repeating “No comment”.

 

Even when asked their name, some reply: “No comment.”

 

Then, of course, they go on to plead not guilty in court, despite the evidence against them often being overwhelming.

 

But it wasn’t like that during the 1970s when I often found myself in court (reporting on the proceedings, I should, add – not actually in the dock).

 

Every Monday morning a string of ne’er-do-wells would appear before the local magistrates.

 

And many would have black eyes, bandages round their heads and, occasionally, an arm in a sling.

 

The police superintendent would detail how, after being arrested, they all invariably replied: “It’s a fair cop.

 

“You got me bang to rights, Guv.”

 

Then they would proceed to “sing like a canary” and admit everything.

 

The magistrates would tut tut, but, before passing sentence, would casually ask the defendant how they came by their injuries,

 

These appalling miscreants would then make outrageous claims about how they had been thumped and kicked by burly bobbies in the cells until they admitted their crime.

 

The chief beak would, of course, appear absolutely horrified by such allegations and ask: “Superintendent, is this true?”

 

And the reply, always the same, from the superintendent would be: “No, your worship. 

 

“The truth is the defendant was rather the worse for drink when arrested.

“And, unfortunately, on being led to the police station cells, he fell down the steps.”

 

27 November 2025