Blunkett urges custody cash

Delays in custody slow up the court system

David Blunkett has admitted huge investment is needed to improve the custody system.

The home secretary told the Law Society's Annual Conference in Manchester aspects of the custody procedure were "absurd and incompetent".

He said inadequacies in the police, prison service and probation service caused delays at magistrate and crown courts.

There is a need for massive investment in the custody system

David Blunkett

Mr Blunkett highlighted prisoners' transport and access to lawyers as areas to improve.

He said: "There is a need for the removal of the absurd and incompetent way the prisoners are brought, or not brought, to court."

The home secretary said the problems needed tackling "head on" and promised to rise to the challenge.

Mr Blunkett said the court service must "come into the 21st century" and invest in technology.

Blunkett admitted responsibility

He said: "There is a need for massive investment in the custody system."

But he also called on all parties to work together as part of the reform of the criminal justice system.

"We must work together to stamp out the culture of adjournment and delay that sees over £80m wasted each year in the magistrate and crown courts.

"A system which sees courts deliberately overbooked, and 13% of cases discontinued by the CPS because cases are inadequately prepared or key participants in the trial fail to turn up, is a system that is failing.

"Reforming this system must be our priority."

In the keynote speech to the conference, he touched on issues such as double jeopardy, trial by jury, and allowing a defendant's previous convictions to be disclosed to jurors.