Government claims move will improve transparency
Credit: Clara Molden/PA
Online case lists for offences ruled on by a single magistrate are being published online for the first time in a move the government claims “will provide more transparency for public and media alike”.
Beginning yesterday, details of TV licensing cases from the Midlands and cases related to Transport for London will be listed online. Daily lists will be published each day before 10.30am, including information on the defendant’s first initial and surname, their home town and the first two letters of their post code, their offence, and the prosecuting authority.
The lists will be produced by the automated track case management (ATCM) system. The platform, which is designed to provide an “end-to-end digital service” for use across the ‘single-justice’ system, is in the early stages of being rolled out.
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Single-justice procedures were introduced in 2015, and allow for certain cases related to “non-imprisonable, victimless offences” to be ruled on by a single magistrate without a hearing.
All TV licensing cases are expected to adopt ACTM by the end of the year, with DVLA cases to follow suit by the end of 2019.
“Publishing these case lists online will allow a more consistent and dependable flow of information to the public and media, increasing transparency in the justice system,” the government said.
The online case lists represent the latest initiative in a £1bn courts reform programme aimed at bringing increased digitisation to the justice service.
