Covid-19 and Criminal Law: The Essential Guide

The announcement of ‘lockdown’ on 23 March 2020 saw sweeping changes within the criminal justice system. Within a matter of days, new offences were in force. The criminal courts – which had relied largely on in-person appearances thus far – found themselves operating almost wholly through virtual hearing lists. Jury trials were adjourned in their thousands, as those within the system debated how they could be effectively and safely resumed.

These changes affect all of us within the criminal justice system. At the same time, we have had relatively little time to get to grips with them. This book is designed to provide an easy reference guide to all the key ways in which Covid-19 has affected both the law and practice. It includes analysis of the key provisions from the Welsh and English Coronavirus Regulations 2020 and the Coronavirus Act 2020, provides practical tips for continuing to work during the pandemic and considers options for the future shape of the criminal courts.

The book is split into three main parts:

• The impact of Covid-19 on criminal offences: the new offences created, and the impact of the pandemic on existing offences
• The impact of Covid-19 on the court system: virtual hearings, practical points for the practitioner and options to allow jury trials to resume
• The impact of Covid-19 on Judicial decisions: sentencing and bail decisions