Magistrates Court Statistics (Provisional Statistics)
July to September 2010

Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service
12th November 2010

Figures published today by the NI Courts and Tribunals Service in the quarterly Magistrates Court Bulletin outline the Crown court business received and dealt with from the quarter July to September 2010.

During the quarter;

• There were 1,182 scheduled magistrates’ sittings
• There were 54 additional magistrates’ sittings
• 13,872 new adult criminal defendants were received in court and 13,351 adult defendants were disposed of
• The average waiting time in the adult criminal court from first hearing to disposal was 6 weeks

Ends

Notes for Editors

During Jul – Sep 2010:

• There were 1,182 scheduled magistrates’ sittings of which:
  Criminal 787
  Youth 136
  Family 259
• There were 54 additional magistrates’ sittings of which:
  Criminal 47
  Youth 1
  Family 6
• 13,872 new adult criminal defendants were received in court and 13,351 adult defendants were disposed of during the period. (Figure 1)

Figure 1: Percentage of adults entered and disposed of in the court divisions

• The majority of prosecutions disposed in the adult court were brought by PSNI/ PPS.
• The volume of adult business was highest in the Division of Belfast
• The average waiting time in the adult criminal court from first hearing to disposal was 6 weeks. (Figure 2)

Figure 2: Waiting times in weeks in adult magistrates’ courts (1st hearing to disposal)

• 979 new defendants were entered in the youth court and 849 youth defendants were disposed of in the youth court
•  The average waiting time in the youth court from first hearing to disposal was 12 weeks

Important Notes:

Figures are computed from a live database and may change due to late returns and further validations.

Date of disposal is based on the date of sentencing, date of acquittal or date a bill of indictment is not proceeded with.

Waiting times do not exclude recess.

The full version is available at: http://www.courtsni.gov.uk/en-GB/Publications/Targets_and_Performance/p_tp_MagistratesCourtBulletin_JulySept2010.htm

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