An IT system is causing crucial court case information in England and Wales to change or disappear, putting justice at risk.
One legal advisor disclosed that he submitted a driving prohibition into the Common Platform system, only to realize later that the result had changed.
According to employees, “fundamentally faulty” warnings on suspected flaws were disregarded.
The government stated that there were no indications that justice was being compromised.
Common Platform was created to replace obsolete software in the criminal courts with a single system that enables judges, attorneys, the CPS, and courts to access case information from a single location.
The new system, which went life in 2020 and has a budget of £300 million, is currently in operation in 136 courts in England and Wales, or 60 percent of the total, with the remainder scheduled to adopt it by early next year.
‘Scary’
James (not his real name) is a magistrates’ court legal adviser, a lawyer whose function is to provide legal counsel to lay magistrates and oversee court procedures.
Under the new Common Platform system, he is also accountable for recording case outcomes into the system.
He stated that he accurately entered the outcomes of a case in which a guy was to be prohibited from driving, only to realize later that the outcome had changed.
“We did not impose the outcomes that emerged on Common Platform,” he stated.
“If we had not remembered the case, it would have been overlooked.
This individual would not have been disqualified and would have remained on the road, posing a threat to others.
In addition, File on 4 has been informed of an instance in which an individual was incarcerated for days longer than necessary due to a Common Platform-related error.
The PCS union, which represents court personnel, asserts that the court’s service ignored numerous warnings about flaws, prompting legal advisers and court associates in the magistrates’ court to vote for strike action beginning on 10 September.
Horizon scandal
James is among those who claim to have notified the court service about Common Platform’s defects.
He compares the rollout of Common Platform to the Post Office IT disaster, which resulted in criminal convictions for over 700 branch managers due to Horizon software flaws.
He said: “I recall seeing the documentary on the Horizon system for the Post Office and thought, ‘that’s what we’ve got – a system that alters things and does not reflect the truth.’ It makes me feel rather ill to consider it.
You feel so helpless since nobody cares about your report.
Professor Alan Woodward, a specialist in information technology and visiting professor at the University of Surrey, encouraged the court service to halt its implementation and address the problems expressed.
“Everyone told sub-postmasters it was their fault, and the Post Office did not admit the software issue until many years later,” he claimed.
“People are aware that software is not perfect. You must bring them [the personnel] along – demonstrate and prove to them that it is working.”
A spokeswoman for HM Courts and Tribunal Service stated: “Common Platform is vital to modernizing the court system, as it replaces obsolete, unsuitable technologies and frees up court personnel to focus on tasks where they can provide the most value.
“Common Platform has effectively administered over 158,000 criminal cases, and there is no evidence that it compromises justice or puts parties at risk.
“We will continue to work closely with employees to assist them during this transition, and we would want to thank all the judges, court personnel, and others who contributed to its design and execution.”
In response to comparisons with the Post Office Horizon incident, an HMCTS spokeswoman stated, “We have never ignored concerns that have been presented, and in July 2021 we halted the rollout of Common Platform to resolve user difficulties.
