§ Mr. GummerTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many trials for robbery and burglary in the(a) Ealing and Acton magistrates court and (b) Ipswich magistrates court have been (i) aborted and (ii) postponed in each of the last three years; and how many postponements of each postponed or aborted case there were before it came to trial or was aborted. [163748]
1380W
§ Mr. LeslieThe data on the number of trials for robbery and burglary in Ealing and Acton and Ipswich magistrates courts, which were aborted and postponed in each of the last three years, are not held.
However, data are collected on 'cracked' and `ineffective' trials. A 'cracked' trial occurs when on the date of trial, either the defendant pleads guilty or is bound over, or the prosecution withdraws its case. An `ineffective' trial occurs when on the trial date, the trial has to be adjourned owing to the action or in action of one or more of the prosecution, the defence or the court.
For trials in Ealing and Acton magistrates courts, out of a total of 1,084 trials in 2003, 356 were 'cracked' and 359 were 'ineffective'.
For Ipswich magistrates court, out of a total of 462 trials in 2003, 150 were aborted 'cracked' and 117 were postponed ineffective'.
The number of postponements of each 'cracked' or 'ineffective' case before it came to trial is not available.