ABSTRACT
The advantages of trial on indictment are as follows: • Jurors tend to be less ‘case hardened’ than magistrates. Magistrates, who sit
regularly, may well have heard the same story before and therefore find it less convincing. Also, magistrates tend to be more trusting of police evidence than do jurors. The figures do show that there is a greater chance of acquittal in the Crown Court. It must be borne in mind that these are national figures and there are considerable local variations.
