Night courts, a key part of Tony Blair’s attempt to tackle “yob culture” are to be abandoned after proving a costly failure.

"The courts were supposed to operate around the clock, to bring instant justice to criminals who terrorised city centres. But the huge cost of the scheme, opposition from workers in the criminal justice system and a failure to provide enough cell space for offenders, means the policy will now be abandoned."

"Instead of delivering swift justice to young offenders and drunken thugs, the courts dealt only with a few minor offences, such as begging, shoplifting and prostitution. Night courts were first suggested by Sir John Stevens, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, who was impressed by the swift justice delivered by them in New York. The idea was seized on by the Prime Minister as part of new Labour’s tough law and order rhetoric in the last general election campaign. Mr Blair indicated his support in a speech decrying “yob culture”.

"Officials at 10 Downing Street pressed for pilot schemes to start as soon as possible, despite misgivings among many in the criminal justice system that the idea was a gimmick. Two schemes were launched in London and Manchester in May at a cost of £5.4 million."

“The US justice system places great reliance on plea bargaining and therefore quick justice, the British system does not. This expensive experiment must not be rolled out nationally as it would waste money that could be put elsewhere in the hard-pressed criminal justice system.”

"On some weekends when the courts were expected to be at their busiest, only ten people appeared. Many cases were adjourned because paperwork or evidence was not ready. Mr Fletcher said that during the pilot scheme it cost an average of £4,000 to process a defendant compared with £1,610 in an ordinary court."