She highlighted the vitriol coming through social media
UK lady chief justice Sue Carr has flagged security for judges as a concern in light of the UK government's plan to reduce jury trials under the Courts and Tribunals Bill, reported the Law Society Gazette.
“On security, I see it as not only appropriate but my responsibility to make it as plain as I can that I have grave security concerns if there are going to be judge-alone trials,” she said during her annual press conference in a statement published by the Gazette.
Carr focused on attacks coming through social media.
“What is really concerning me is social media abuse [which] has taken a nasty turn now. Social media abuse is so difficult to control,” she said in a statement published by the Gazette.
Last year, Carr’s 2025 annual report focused on threats to and harassment of judges, who dealt with constant policy changes and were subject to personal attacks. England and Wales senior presiding judge Nicholas Green noted that the threats came both physically and online.
The report indicated that measures were in place to address judicial security, including the establishment of a security taskforce, capital funding to update safety measures in courts and tribunals estates, and the appointment of Martin Spencer as chair of the Security Committee on Judges’ Council. Carr said in a statement published by the Gazette that her security concern was “being heard and understood” and that resources were being allocated to address it.
She voiced her support of the decision to remove the cap on sitting days at the Crown court, permitting magistrates to sit to capacity.
“I have every confidence in magistrates and Crown court judges to step up to the challenges they will be facing’ to clear the courts backlog. The numbers that are needed on current modelling are very very large. Steps are being taken to step up recruitment progress,” Carr said in a statement published by the Gazette.
She emphasized the importance of training and resource availability for magistrates. She also responded to a query about juries’ importance by indicating that juries would remain part of the justice system.
