SERIAL shoplifters will lose their right to a jury trial under a crackdown considered by ministers.
Prolific offenders should be dealt with swiftly by magistrates, insiders say.
GettyHigh street giants have begged ministers to get tougher on criminals to ease the crisis[/caption]
It will free the crown courts to hear more important cases, such as rape, they believe.
Britain is in the grip of a shoplifting epidemic, with retailers resorting to locking up even basic products and tackling offenders in the aisles.
High street traders have begged ministers to get tougher on offenders to ease the crisis.
Although most shoplifting cases are heard by JPs, an accused can opt for a crown court trial.
Under reforms being batted about by ministers, this could be stopped if it is not the defendant’s first offence.
A source said: “It’s fair enough to have a case heard by a jury if they have never been convicted before. That is deciding if they are an honest person.
“But why should repeat offenders clog up crown courts when serious sexual cases need to be heard?”
Any such move would begin to clear the huge backlog of court cases caused by the pandemic.
Suspects are having to wait up to four years in prison before their trial is heard.
The crown court backlog has soared to a record high of 65,000 cases. A staggering 345,285 cases are waiting to be heard by magistrates.
The Ministry of Justice wants to reduce the crown court backlog to 53,000 by March 2025.
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