There are huge amounts of time wasted at all levels in the judicial system and unfortunately much of this falls upon members of the public – jurors and witnesses.
Jury service can never be described in itself as a waste of time. I believe it is probably about the best method of deciding serious charges that there is. However, I have to agree that a trial by jury for £40 worth of goods is over the top. To their credit the last government tried to reduce the number of offences where the defendant is entitled to a trial by jury and low value theft was amongst them. They were howled down by opponents citing the erosion of the ancient liberties of a right to trial by one’s peers. Most of these people did not seem to know (or perhaps at least did not bother to mention) that those accused of many offences which attract far harsher penalties than a £40 theft were already denied their “ancient right”. Huge numbers of offences are “summary only” matters meaning they can only be tried by magistrates and more than 95% of all criminal prosecutions are dealt with to a conclusion in the Magistrates' Court.
“I wondered why they just didn't sling him straight into a cell and leave him there”.
I am very pleased to report, Starbuckone, that, however despicable or detestable the defendant seem, there is the small matter of evidence being needed to support the allegation. It definitely can seem a trifle Inconvenient at times, but mercifully that’s what we’re lumbered with.