Hundreds of criminal trials in Victoria won't be heard until 2021 at the earliest, after the County Court expressed doubt contested hearings would return at all this year.
The County Court, which hears the bulk of the state's criminal trials, now concedes it is unlikely trials will return in October, given uncertainty about the end date of stage four restrictions.
The court had a large backlog of cases before coronavirus hit and the suspension of trials meant hundreds of accused people, plus complainants and witnesses, were waiting for cases to begin. The court earlier estimated the backlog to be 750 cases. Criminal Bar Association of Victoria chair Daniel Gurvich, QC, said he was still hopeful jury trials could resume in 2020, and that it was too early for the courts to rule out a return."We are not overly confident they will occur this year because the news has been quite grim of late but everyone is making serious endeavours to conduct jury trials so the administration of justice can continue," he said.
"The delays pre-pandemic were already significant for accused people and victims and witnesses. Now they are going to be measured in years not months," he said.
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