Duration of Northern Ireland trials in cases related to paramilitarism and the Troubles.

political analyst

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-68626542

Delays in this case were caused by the pandemic and legal applications.

These delays have happened in several cases related to paramilitary activities and to the Troubles.

Why has it taken so long for judges in Northern Ireland to deal with the legal applications made in these cases?

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058342829/duration-of-northern-ireland-trials-in-cases-related-to-paramilitarism-and-the-troubles

I don't think it's a problem unique to Northern Ireland, or to Troubles-related cases. Austerity policies meant that courts in the UK were starved of resources and staff, leading to long backlogs even before the Covid pandemic hit. The Covid pandemic obviously caused further problems, since social distancing requirements made it very difficult to hold criminal trials, and backlogs/waiting lists ballooned. As the system is still starved of resources it hasn't been able to clear those backlogs.

political analyst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121924524#Comment_121924524

Here's another NI paramilitary case that dragged on for years.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-67587971

Regardless of austerity and the pandemic and a defendant's ill health, I don't see anything that would prevent a judge in NI from dealing with legal applications and issuing a verdict as quickly as possible and then moving on to the next case.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121926329#Comment_121926329

This makes no sense. Why would you imagine that a lack of resources, a backlog of cases, the Covid pandemic and the ill-health of a defendant would have no effect on the progress of a trial?

political analyst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121932939#Comment_121932939

OK. Point taken.