Barristers' groups are worried about eroding jury trial

Sir John Stevens, the most senior police chief in the country, said such a move would stop criminals intimidating jurors.

The move, one of many reforms to the criminal justice system proposed in the government's Criminal Justice Bill, would save millions of pounds spent protecting juries each year, he said.

Last year Scotland Yard spent �3.2m protecting juries from intimidation by organised criminals whose accomplices were on trial, he said.

That was equivalent to the cost of 75 police officers.

"We must deal robustly with organised crime and jury intimidation," Sir John told a conference on urban justice in London.

'Exception, not rule'

"Organised crime is now very much a feature of criminality in this country.

"This can manifest itself in a sophisticated level of activity to threaten witnesses [and] jurors which is difficult to police."

Sir John Stevens wants an end to jury intimidation

He said trial by judge alone should be "an exception rather than the rule", but said it is "crucial if the interests of justice are to be upheld".

"These criminals think that they can take the system on, but one jury tampered with is one jury too many.

"It is crucial for justice that judges decide when a jury should not hear a case, when there is specific and proven reasons and evidence for it."

Plans to limit trial by jury narrowly won the backing of MPs earlier this year.

The bill will now go to the House of Lords, where previous moves to restrict jury trial have foundered.

Home Secretary David Blunkett has strongly backed the move, estimating it would improve the justice system and affect only about 100 cases a year.

But many MPs, legal figures and civil liberties campaigners have expressed serious disquiet at the plans, saying trial by jury is a fundamental and ancient right that should not be eroded.