The criminal justice system needs a health check, according to a judge speaking in Cardiff.

His Honour Nicholas Cooke KC addressed the Cardiff Business Club on May 20 at the Parkgate Hotel.

He argued the current system of justice needs a comprehensive audit to improve functionality.

There's a need for the system to be more locally focussed, according to His Honour, which could help reduce specific crimes like gang violence.

Cooke also questioned the fairness of the British justice system but maintains hope for improvements.

His Honour also referenced the Post Office scandal, describing it as the worst miscarriage of justice in Europe.

Mr Cooke said: "If a judge becomes aware of a trend, he or she should note and respond to it.

"If the judges involved in the post office scandal had acted in response to trends, perhaps the miscarriage of justice wouldn’t have been so large."

He also touched upon crimes against women, stating the system fails to deal effectively with such cases.

He said: "The cases involved a catalogue of appalling failures with previous warning signs ignored and other shocking errors."

This emphasised his call for a comprehensive review of the system.

The judge’s speech highlights his concern for the reform of the current judicial system.