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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Plans to abolish trial by jury 'could be dropped'
Ananova
Monday 21 Jan 2002 It's claimed Government plans to abolish the right to trial by jury for a wide range of offences are to be abandoned. The Times says Government is said to be ready to shelve proposals to create a middle-tier court made up of a judge and two lay magistrates. These would have taken over from juries in up to two-thirds of cases such as theft, burglary and assault. It's reported ministers believe the cost of creating a whole new court tier would be prohibitive. They also fear the proposals, aimed at curbing the abuse of jury trial by hardened offenders, would bring relatively small benefits in terms of cost and time. According to The Times, Home Secretary David Blunkett is among those expressing serious doubts over the plans. The Times has quoted one un-named source as saying: "There is a lot of opposition to the proposals. There's no question of proceeding with them as they stand." However a spokeswoman for the Home Office has declined to clarify whether or not the Government is preparing to ditch the trial by jury reforms.
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