Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Tristan Kirk

Magistrates handing out criminal convictions in private court hearings that last just 90 seconds

The hearings are private (stock photo)

(Picture: PA Archive)

Magistrates are handing out criminal convictions in private court hearings lasting as little as 90 seconds, in a system where the majority of prosecutions will never be looked at by a qualified lawyer, the Evening Standard has learned.

The Single Justice Procedure (SJP) was established to allow courts to sit behind-closed-doors, issuing fines and convictions in a system that was designed for speedy justice.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.