Three new Suffolk magistrates have been sworn in at a ceremony at Ipswich Crown Court.

Congratulating Martin O'Brien, Gary Morgan and Stephen Gallant, Judge Martyn Levett said: "Each of you has been selected for appointment to the oldest and most respected judicial office in the face of strong competition because of the skills which you possess in the various backgrounds from which you are drawn and because of a proven willingness and ability to work in and for your community. "

In his welcome speech, Judge Levett spoke of the "dreadful" backlog of  cases waiting to be tried  at Crown Courts across the country  and of the Government's introduction of an early release scheme that has allowed  offenders who committed less serious crimes to leave prison after serving 40% of their sentence. 

"The prisons crisis left His Majesty’s Prisons in England and Wales almost entirely full, and there is still a dreadful backlog of cases waiting to be tried," said the judge.

"In 2022, to reduce the backlog, the Ministry of Justice made more cases triable by magistrates — allowing Justices to sentence offenders up to 12 months custody for offences rather than the historic six months maximum. Within months that excellent new power was suspended.

"So, in 2023 the problems grew more and more because there were not enough prison cells for the resulting prisoners. 

However, he said he’d recently read that the current Government was expected to revive that measure.

“This time the thinking is that newly sentenced prisoners can be dispersed around the country in a way that prevents the same dispersal with prisoners awaiting trial. You will be joining us on that journey to make communities safer for children, and the elderly and the vulnerable,” said Judge Levett.

"Few people get the acknowledgments deserved for their contribution to Justice in Suffolk. You will get that acknowledgment when you make your community a safer place to live. 

"We pride ourselves with open justice in Suffolk because it helps to ensure that trials are properly conducted. It puts pressure on witnesses to tell the truth. It provides public scrutiny of the trial process. It maintains public confidence in the administration of justice and you now become part of that success,"  added the judge.