THE UK’s criminal justice system is failing victims and witnesses, a Gwent MP has said.

Islwyn MP Chris Evans was speaking after a report by the UK Government’s Public Accounts Committee – of which he is a member – found two thirds of crown court trials are delayed, leading to a backlog of almost 52,000 cases in September 2015.

The report also found one in five witnesses waited four hours or longer to give evidence in court.

The Labour MP said: “It is shocking and disgraceful that witnesses and victims are suffering as a result of poor performance in the criminal justice system.

“Victims of crime in particular deserve justice but they are, in too many cases, don’t get access to justice because the justice system is overstretched, disjointed and under-resourced.

“The government has to get its act together and take responsibility for the damning findings in this report and work to fix the justice system before it reaches breaking point.”

To view the full report visit publications.parliament.uk.