Britain’s criminal courts face “total system collapse” unless jury trials are curtailed for thousands of cases, according to a government-commissioned review led by retired judge Sir Brian Leveson. His 378-page report, released on 9 July, recommends sweeping structural changes designed to clear a record Crown Court backlog of almost 77,000 cases, with some trials already listed as far ahead as 2029. Leveson proposes removing the right to elect a jury trial for offences that carry a maximum sentence of two years, reclassifying some crimes as summary-only, and introducing judge-only hearings for serious and complex fraud. A new Crown Court Bench Division—staffed by a judge and two magistrates—would handle mid-level cases, while lower-level offences would be diverted to magistrates’ courts or settled through cautions and other out-of-court resolutions. The discount for guilty pleas at the first opportunity would rise to 40 %. The package is modelled to save about 9,000 Crown Court sitting days each year and would require roughly £1 billion of additional spending between 2025/26 and 2029/30, alongside a planned increase in annual sitting days to 130,000. Leveson argues the measures are essential to protect the fairness of the system, warning that prolonged delays risk victims and witnesses abandoning cases and defendants languishing on remand. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government will examine all the recommendations and issue a full response before introducing legislation in the autumn. A second Leveson report on court efficiency is due later this year. Legal opinion is divided. The Law Society and the Bar Council say restricting jury trials would erode a cornerstone of the justice system and may merely shift congestion to lower courts. The Magistrates’ Association backs the proposals but notes that magistrate numbers would need to rise. Debate over the balance between speed and traditional safeguards is likely to dominate consultations in the coming months.