THE number of trials coming to court in Wales and England has dropped to the lowest levels since records began - but more people are being prosecuted for possessing weapons, figures show.

The total number of trials listed in both magistrate and crown courts has fallen and is at its lowest since annual and quarterly records began, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

The news prompted legal campaigners to hit out at cuts to the court service and follows previous statistics which showed the number of people being prosecuted or out-of-court disposals is at its lowest since records began, while more offences are being reported to police.

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A total of 27,199 trials were listed in magistrates courts between April and June, the second quarter of 2019, according to the provisional data provided by the department.

This is down from 31,855 this time last year and a drop from 29,725 between January and March this year.

As well as a quarterly decline, annual figures show the total number of trials is the lowest since records began in 2003 when 177,485 were listed that year.

Last year, 123,023 trials were came to court down from 136,962 in 2017.

The MoJ has released criminal courts stats and the figures showed the total number of trials coming to magistrates' and crown courts is at its lowest level since records began - when measured annually to 2018 and quarterly to up to June 2019.

Offences involving violence against a person made up around a quarter of the caseload in crown courts, continuing to be the most common type of crime coming to court, the MoJ said.

Some 3,470 cases of this kind came to crown courts in the last quarter, up from 3,462 between January and March.

But the number has fallen slightly from April to June last year (3,537).

But the number cases for possession of weapons has jumped up in the last quarter, up 24 per cent on the previous year, and three per cent on the previous quarter, according to the findings.

There were 1,088 cases of this kind coming to crown courts between April and June, up from 879 in the same period last year.

The figures for April to June 2019 are currently classed as provisional and will be finalised in June next year, the MoJ said.

Simon Davis, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said the statistics came as "no surprise" because the criminal justice system was at "breaking point", adding: "It simply does not have the resources to function effectively.

"The future integrity of our justice system depends on the whole system working effectively and efficiently. This means we need additional funding across the board: for police and prosecutors, but also for courts and the defence."

Richard Atkins QC, chairman of the Bar Council, said: "While Parliament is squabbling over Brexit, criminals are free to walk the streets as the justice system begins to grind to a halt leaving the British public at risk.

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"These latest Ministry of Justice statistics must be ringing alarm bells at the Treasury and No 10.

"Criminal justice needs more than simply boosting police ranks. It needs investment in the entire system."

Caroline Goodwin QC, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, called for an end to the "draconian" cuts in crown court sitting days and said the figures showed an increase in criminal case backlog.

She also hit out at the department's figures on outstanding cases, showing there were 32,708 still to conclude as at 30 June this year.

She told PA: "Substantial investment is needed to tackle court closures, falling prosecutions and the rise in violent crime.

"The public has a right to feel miserably short-changed. Not about Brexit, but about our justice system.

"Those in charge of this farce should look at the devastating consequences that are easily quantifiable including; victims waiting longer, expectation of early trial dates as promised dashed, witnesses who have arranged days away from work inconvenienced.

"Justice delayed is justice denied.

"The system is not reacting at all, never mind faster and for what exactly."

There were 1.59 million people formally dealt with by the criminal justice system in England and Wales between April 2018 and March 2019, according to figures published earlier this year.

The department said the number fell two per cent in the latest year, the MoJ said in August.

The number of people prosecuted at all courts fell by one per cent overall although the amount of defendants brought before magistrates' courts remained broadly the same as the previous year, according to the figures.

The number of crimes recorded by police rose by eight per cent to 5.3 million excluding some fraud cases.

The MoJ believes this is down to better recording of crime by police forces and victims being more willing to come forward.