Where a defendant was remanded in custody pending trial in the Crown Court, the trial date should be fixed at an early stage. Here, after repeated adjournments, the court had, three days before expiry of the limit, fixed a trial three months into the future. That ruling would have to stand, but in cases requiring substantial court time, the date should be fixed at the Plea and Directions Hearing.
Citations:
Times 17-Feb-2000
Statutes:
Prosecution of Offences Act 1985
Criminal Practice
Updated: 09 April 2022; Ref: scu.85618