| Date: 26/06/2012 Time: 10:50:00 AM |
Authorities plan to put people who commit
offences linked to the Olympic Games here in court within 24 hours, it was
announced Tuesday.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the aim is to have suspects
charged within hours of an offence, and that courts across London will sit
earlier in the morning and into the early evening if needed, though there are
no plans for overnight sittings.
Virtual "live-link" hearings will be held so that offenders are
fast-tracked through the justice system, and offenders will be categorised
administratively under a specially defined "Olympics offence", based on
whether the crime was committed during the Games, its location and whether the
accused or victim is a competitor, spectator or official.
It will not be a new legal offence.
The plans have been drawn up by the CPS, along with the police, court
service and other criminal justice agencies such as Victim Support.
They will cover London as well as other areas where events are taking
place.
Alison Saunders, chief crown prosecutor for London, told The Times
newspaper today: "Many people who come to the Olympics won't live here, so it
is important that if offences are committed, we act quickly.
"People who commit offences on Tuesday will be in court on Wednesday ... we
are learning the lessons of the summer riots (when offenders were processed
within days rather than the usual weeks)."
Courts will sit extended hours where needed, from 8am to 1.30pm, then from
2.30pm to 7.30pm.
Using live link will also avoid dealing with any traffic disruption which
may ensue during the Games, beginning 27 of July and ending on August 12.
Miss Saunders said whether crime rates would rise or fall during the Games
was impossible to predict.
She told the newspaper, "There is no direct comparison. At the Manchester
Commonwealth Games, offending levels actually fell, perhaps because people
were preoccupied and also because there was a feel-good factor."
The timescale for the Olympics offences began on May 1 and will run until
September 30. |