Met Police chief warns court system is under massive strain

The head of the Metropolitan Police, London's police force, has said he has not seen such strain on the criminal justice system in his 40 years of policing. Sir Mark Rowley told BBC Radio 4's PM programme that the pressure stems from years of funding constraints and backlogs built up during the Covid pandemic.

Rowley said London alone has nearly 500 cases already listed for trial in 2030. He said the delays mean victims, particularly in stalking, harassment, domestic abuse and rape cases, are left waiting years for justice.

Firearms defendants on bail

The commissioner said 36 people charged with firearms offences in London are currently on bail in the community awaiting trial. In his view, such a situation would once have happened only in the most exceptional case, but it is becoming too frequent.

He added that the number of defendants charged by the Met has risen from about 4,000 a month two years ago to 7,500 a month, even though the force has become smaller.

Prison overcrowding

Rowley warned that prison overcrowding and the government's early release scheme are adding pressure on policing. A further batch of prisoners was due for release the day after the interview, following 700 earlier in the month. He said ministers inherited a prison capacity crisis and had no choice but to act urgently, stressing he was not criticising the decision. However, he said officers are now managing offenders in the community who would previously have been in prison.

Official responses

The government said it had acted to keep more of the most serious criminals locked up and that new prison spaces are being built. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said victim support funding is being increased and probation given greater powers to impose strict restrictions on released offenders.

Stephen Parkinson, director of public prosecutions at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said prosecutors in busy remand courts will receive more support and extra training, with stronger checks on bail, remand hearings and risk management. The CPS is also working with police to improve information sharing for bail decisions.