Sevenfold rise in those waiting at least a year for cases to be heard as lawyers quit over cuts in legal aid
More than 5,800 victims of violent crime and sexual offences are stuck in one of the worst ever backlogs in the crown courts, enduring delays of at least a year before their cases are heard, the Observer can reveal.
The number of cases facing these delays once a defendant has been charged has increased more than sevenfold in two years, according to an analysis of crown court figures in England and Wales.
