Juries could be removed from fraud trials

Complex fraud trials could be held without juries under proposals announced by the Government today.

Ministers hope the move will bring an end to embarrassments such as the Jubilee line fraud trial, which collapsed in March after 21 months at a cost of £60 million.

But critics accused the Government of eroding the ancient right to trial by jury. The move will face

fierce opposition in the legal profession and in the Commons. It could be defeated in the Lords, where previous attempts by the Government to curb jury trials have been blocked.

The Criminal Justice Act 2003 gave the Government powers to restrict jury trials in complicated fraud cases. But, crucially, it stated that a vote of Parliament would be required before the power is implemented.

Attorney General Lord Goldsmith announced that the Government has decided to push for Parliament to vote this autumn, with the new regime to be in place next January.

He said the new-style trials would make it possible to bring more fraudsters to justice. Lord

Goldsmith said: "In spite of efforts to keep complex trials within reasonable bounds, some drag on for months, which poses an intolerable burden on jurors."

Critics argue that the cost and length of complex trials could be capped through tighter management of the process, without having to resort to scrapping juries.