§ Mr. Morganasked the Attorney-General how many criminal cases committed by magistrates' courts in the county of Clwyd and due for hearing at the Mold Crown court were transferred to the Chester Crown court for trial during the year 1981; and what were the reasons for those transfers.
The Solicitor-GeneralDuring 1981, 105 cases committed for trial and 20 cases committed for sentence or involving deferred sentences were transferred from the Mold Crown court to the Chester Crown court. These transfers took place in order to provide an earlier hearing date.
§ Mr. Morganasked the Attorney-General how many criminal cases committed by magistrates' courts in the county of Chester and due for hearing at the Chester Crown court were transferred to the Mold Crown court for trial during the year 1981; and what were the reasons for those transfers.
The Solicitor-GeneralDuring 1981, 164 cases committed for trial and 31 cases committed for sentence or involving a deferred sentence were transferred from Chester Crown court to Mold Crown court. These transfers took place in order to provide an earlier hearing date.
§ Mr. Morganasked the Attorney-General whether he will ensure that henceforth, save in the most exceptional circumstances, all Crown court cases arising within the county of Clwyd will be tried at the Mold Crown court and all those arising within the county of Chester at Crown courts within that county.
The Solicitor-GeneralIt would not be in the best interests of the administration of justice to do so. The close proximity of the Chester and Mold Crown court centres makes it possible for some cases to be dealt with more expeditiously by transfer from one centre to another. Cases are normally transferred with the consent of the parties and it is open to any party to object to a proposed transfer.