A LEADING magistrate has claimed it is taking longer than ever to deal with young criminals - despite a Government pilot scheme aimed at speeding up youth justice in East Lancashire.

The chairman of Hyndburn magistrates, Ivan Smith, attacked the failings of the current system during a youth court session in Accrington.

Earlier this year, Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw praised fast-track pilot schemes in Blackburn and Burnley and said cases were being dealt with quicker than ever before. In April the new processes were taken up at magistrates' courts throughout East Lancashire.

But Mr Smith spoke out during the case of a young car criminal, whose case was put back for three weeks after the youth failed to keep a probation appointment.

He said: "We are supposed to be fast tracking youth justice. Where are we going? We are taking more time to get youths through court than we ever have.

"Jack Straw, the Government and the Chancellor keep telling us we are fast-tracking. But some cases are going for months now." The defendant, an 18-year-old from Accrington, had earlier admitted aggravated vehicle taking, resisting a police constable, driving without insurance and driving without a licence.

Probation officers said a pre-sentence report would not be ready for three weeks because the youth had missed his appointment. Mr Smith told the youth: "You see what happens when you miss an appointment? You are given an appointment by law. "People think 'what does the law matter' - well it matters to the magistrates. Make sure you co-operate with the probation service."

Mr Straw pledged that the Government would halve the time taken to bring persistent young offenders to justice from 142 days to 71.

Measures introduced in the pilot schemes include allowing magistrates to deal with straightforward guilty pleas on the spot, increasing the powers of magistrates to manage cases and sending serious cases to crown court immediately.

Laurence Loft, chief clerk to the magistrates in East Lancashire, said the new schemes aimed to cut the time between arrest and the first court appearance.

He said: "In this particular case, it seems clear that the pre-sentence report was necessary. The best that the court can do in the circumstances is enter into discussions with the probation service to try and speed things up."

He said magistrates were under pressure and were doing their best to avoid unnecessary delays and were already performing well within the Government targets.

He added: "There are bound to be delays in some cases and sometimes the delays are out of the court's hands."

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