Court backlogs in England and Wales have led to alleged offenders waiting up to five years for trial, with approximately 17,000 prisoners currently on remand.

This situation has resulted in a record high remand population, with one in five prisoners classified as remand, reflecting an 87% increase since 2019.

The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged this crisis, inherited by the current Labour government, and has taken urgent actions to prevent the collapse of the prison system.

Martin Jones, the chief inspector of probation, emphasized that delays in the court system negatively impact both the rehabilitation of offenders and the pursuit of justice for victims.

Adrian Usher, the prisons and probation ombudsman, expressed concern that the lengthy wait for trials is leading some innocent individuals to plead guilty just to expedite their release.

While prisoners found guilty typically have their remand time deducted from their sentences, those found not guilty receive no compensation for their time spent in jail unless their case was severely mishandled.

The conditions for these remand prisoners are dire, as they are often housed in overcrowded and outdated facilities, which heightens the risks of violence and suicide.

Taylor highlighted personal accounts of prisoners facing extensive remand times, including one individual who spent three years awaiting trial before receiving a provisional court date for April 2025.

To address the backlog, Usher suggested extending court operating hours beyond the current eight hours a day.

Without significant intervention, the backlog in crown courts could escalate to 100,000 cases, according to a Guardian investigation.

Charlie Taylor, chief inspector of prisons, reported that some remand prisoners have been waiting nearly five years for their cases to be heard.