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<p>The information requested about the waiting times for trials where the defendant
has entered a not guilty plea for a racially or religiously aggravated harassment
charge in 2010 and 2018 can be found in the attached Excel document.</p><p> </p><p>Due
to the small number of defendants pleading not guilty to these offences at individual
Crown Courts, we have not supplied the average waiting times for courts where fewer
than five defendants pleaded not guilty. Basing an average on such small numbers can
skew the mean and result in the figures being unrepresentative.</p><p> </p><p>Performance,
demand and waiting times in the courts are constantly reviewed to balance sitting
days with waiting times, disposals and receipts. Resources are adjusted when appropriate.
Demand has been falling in recent years and sitting days have been reduced accordingly.
The abolition of committal hearings in 2013 transferred the file preparation period
from the magistrates’ court to the Crown Court and so comparisons between pre-2013
data and post-2013 data do not compare like with like.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue
to review demand and performance in the Crown Courts and will ensure they have the
resource they require.</p>
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