📢 Truth Watch: Growing backlog of cases stuck at CCRC for over two years
Originally reported The Justice Gap on 2025-07-18 08:26:00 by Jon Robins.
The number of cases stuck for more than two years under review at the Criminal Cases Review Commission has topped a hundred for the first time, more than doubling in the last five years.
In the CCRC’s latest annual report published yesterday, the new interim chair acknowledges a ‘massive loss of confidence’ as a result of its mishandling of the Andrew Malkinson case and recognised that ‘other equally problematic cases’ might have been missed.  In a frank foreword, Dame Vera Baird says that her role is not only to chair the troubled organisation but to carry out a review of it. ‘We must open every door for the review,’ she says.
Over the last 12 months the CCRC received 1,541 applications and sent 31 cases back to the Court of Appeal – 17 non-Post Office ‘Horizon’ cases. Over the last year, some 18 appeals were successful.
An alarming trend is the growing number of old cases that seemingly stuck in the CCRC. The commission defines a long-running case where there has been a review ongoing for more than two years. At the end of March 2025, the CCRC had 113 long-running cases. The number has been climbing year-on-year – last year it was 99, 55 in 2023 and 43 in 2020 – as the troubled watchdog has seemingly parked complex cases. The CCRC points out that it completed more long-running cases than last year, 70 compared to 55. ‘Unfortunately, the number of new long-running cases was still greater than the number of long-running cases completed.’
The terms of reference of Dame Vera’s new review will include looking at how the organisation evaluates performance and ‘whether the right Key Performance Indicators are in place’. The present KPIs have long been criticised as overwhelmingly directed at the CCRC hitting deadlines (and closing cases down) and having almost nothing to say about the quality of the watchdog’s reviews. The CCRC aims to complete a minimum of 85% of all cases within 12 months of receiving the application.
Fewer than one in 10 applicants had a lawyer (8%) – this is down from 30%. More than one in five applicants (22.5%) described themselves as being from a particular ethnic minority group. People from ethnic minority groups represent 25% of the prison population.
Writing on her eight day in the new job, Dame Vera recognises that the CCRC is likely to have failed to have referred other cases. She writes that ‘the repeated failure’ by the CCRC to refer Andrew Malkinson’s convictions back to the Court of Appeal has led to ‘a massive loss of confidence, made worse by the inexplicable delay of the Commission’s then leadership to apologise to him and to the public’.
She says: ‘Whilst the Commission should not be judged entirely on its few known failures, the concern is that if Mr Malkinson’s case could be missed, other equally problematic cases may similarly be poorly grasped, insufficiently scrutinised and never referred, despite the possibility that they represent a continuing injustice.’
‘The CCRC exists because the criminal justice system is not infallible. It is highly unlikely that the Commission will ever become infallible either, but we must assess every aspect of its functioning to get it as close to that standard as possible. The unjustly convicted, the wrongly sentenced, and the public deserve no less from us.’
Vera Baird
It looks as though the new chair might revisit the CCRC’s controversial remote first working – heavily criticised by the House of Commons’ justice committee. Dame Vera points out that the CCRC’s staff ‘work on a remote-first basis by contract, and thus will continue to do so, almost everyone to whom I have spoken favours more inter-group or thematic real-life contact, at the Birmingham office’.
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The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) faces alarming challenges, with over a hundred cases unresolved for more than two years, reflecting a troubling trend of institutional failure. The recent annual report reveals a significant decline in public confidence, particularly following the mishandling of the Andrew Malkinson case. Despite reviewing 1,541 applications in the past year, the commission only referred 31 cases to the Court of Appeal, suggesting an overwhelming backlog of complex cases that are inadequately addressed. Dame Vera Baird, the new interim chair, acknowledges these issues and emphasizes the need for a thorough review of the commission’s operational effectiveness, which has been criticized for focusing excessively on meeting deadlines rather than the quality of case evaluations.
This situation highlights systemic injustices within the criminal justice framework, as marginalized groups are disproportionately affected. With fewer than 10% of applicants having legal representation and a notable percentage from ethnic minority backgrounds, the CCRC’s shortcomings raise concerns about fairness and access to justice. Baird’s recognition that Malkinson’s case could indicate other potentially overlooked injustices points to a broader failure in the system. The CCRC was established to rectify miscarriages of justice, yet its inability to effectively scrutinize and refer cases undermines its purpose and perpetuates a cycle of injustice for the wrongfully convicted.
I’m here, still waiting for justice, trapped in a labyrinth of institutional injustice. For the first time, the number of cases languishing under review at the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has exceeded one hundred, more than doubling in just five years. It feels like a cruel joke—my heart sinks each time I hear another number associated with the unending delays that overshadow lives like mine.
In the CCRC’s latest report, the interim chair, Dame Vera Baird, acknowledges a “massive loss of confidence.” How can we not feel this? After everything, the Andrew Malkinson case stands as a grim reminder of the incompetence we endure. The fear creeps in that my situation—scarily similar—could also be overlooked. How many others are trapped in a system that claims to protect us but instead reveals devastating flaws?
Over the past year, the CCRC has received 1,541 applications. The thrill of hope I felt filing mine is now a distant memory. They sent back only 31 cases to the Court of Appeal, with a mere 18 appeals successful. When I think of my case stuck in the shadows, I feel the weight of despair pressing down upon me. For too long, too many have faced the agonizing reality of waiting years for answers that may never come.
At the end of March 2025, there were 113 cases deemed “long-running.” This is more than just a statistic; it represents real lives waiting for validation, healing, and hope. Last year, this number was 99, and it keeps climbing, as the CCRC appears to have parked the complex cases that represent real injustices. They might tout having completed more long-running cases than before, but the unsettling truth is that new cases continue to pile up, drowning our pleas in bureaucracy.
Dame Vera’s review promises to dig deep into the functioning of the CCRC. Yet, her statement about examining performance indicators feels hollow when I think of the countless stories like mine, trapped behind bricks of red tape. The emphasis has long been on hitting deadlines instead of uncovering truths. The system seems designed to shut the door on struggles like mine rather than wrestle with the messiness of real justice.
I find it staggering that fewer than one in 10 applicants had legal representation—just 8%. How is it possible that so many are left floundering, while over 22% of applicants come from ethnic minority backgrounds? It’s a stark reminder of the inequalities that permeate our legal system, with vulnerable voices often left unheard. We are not just numbers; we are people seeking dignity and recognition.
As I read Dame Vera’s words, I can’t help but feel the sting of disappointment. The repeated failures to refer cases back to the Court of Appeal, especially Malkinson’s, have created an environment of distrust and frustration. If they could overlook a case as clear as his, how can I trust they will grasp the gravity of mine?
Dame Vera speaks of the CCRC existing to remedy the fallibility of our criminal justice system. Yet I wonder—what does that mean for those of us who are suffering under the weight of uncertainty? We are the unjustly convicted, the wrongly sentenced, and our silent struggles plead for acknowledgment. Are we destined to be forgotten?
As the new chair considers revisiting policies, I can only hope for real change. The remote-first working model has already shown its faults; connections and real conversations are what we need, not endless emails. Lives hang in the balance, and we deserve better—a system that truly listens and acts.
I cling to the faint hope that the CCRC will rise from its own ashes, but the path appears long and fraught with challenges. I am here, waiting, longing for the day when I can finally say that justice, however delayed, has found me.
Here are five powerful hashtags for your content about the backlog of cases at the CCRC:
1. #JusticeDelayed
2. #CaseBacklog
3. #CCRCReform
4. #LegalSystemChallenges
5. #FairnessInJustice
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The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is under fire for its alarming backlog of cases, with over a hundred stuck for more than two years. As doubts grow about its ability to handle complex cases, we must demand accountability and reform!
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