[English] - [Cymraeg]
The origin of the jury is much disputed by historians. Most agree, however, that it began with the English king, Æthelred the Unready, who ascended to the throne in 978. He issued a legal code stating that 12 leading ‘thegns’ (minor nobles) of each district were required to swear on holy relics to investigate crimes without bias, and to act in accordance with the law and their own good consciences.
These 'juries' were self-informing: instead of receiving information through a trial, they had to investigate the case themselves. They were then charged with publishing the names of any ‘notorious or wicked men’ in their respective districts.
(Photograph of a mock jury trial for illustrative purposes only)
We’ve come a long way since then, and the notion of trial by jury has developed substantially. In 1215, Magna Carta included recognition that a person has the right to be trialled by ‘the lawful judgment of his peers’. By the mid-15th century, juries were known as independent assessors and notorious for their role as deciders of fact.
Juries remain a steadfast principle of our criminal justice system today.
A vital role during the pandemic
Jury trials re-started in May last year, after being halted temporarily in March as the pandemic took hold. Since then, the role of jurors in delivering trials and keeping the justice system operating since cannot be overstated. Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve sent out just under 470,000 summonses – although, of course, not all of these end up being served.
Lord Burnett of Maldon, the Lord Chief Justice, reinforced the significance of their role recently, when he said:
Trial by jury is at the heart of our criminal justice system and serving as a juror is an important public duty. I thank all who serve as jurors, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, for playing their part in supporting the administration of justice.
We’re proud that ours was the first among comparable jurisdictions globally to resume jury trials in a COVID-secure way. Our Crown Courts now list hundreds of cases – on average 309 jury trials per week – in a similar number of courtrooms across England and Wales.
This meant that we could deal with the most urgent cases to keep people safe. We could protect the vulnerable and safeguard children at a time when every pillar of society was challenged, and even comprised, by the devastating impacts of COVID-19.
Faced with a growing number of outstanding cases in May last year, crime recovery work is now moving at pace, thanks in part to the quiet, dignified army of jurors on which jury trials depend.
Safety first and foremost
In order to provide a safe environment for jurors, and indeed all our courts users, we have a range of special arrangements in place to maintain safety. These include supporting social distancing with carefully supervised entrances and exits, and in some cases, using plexiglass screens to help keep people apart and providing separate courtrooms for jury deliberations. In smaller deliberation rooms, we provide jurors with fluid resistant surgical masks as an extra precaution. Meanwhile, separate Portakabin buildings are used as jury deliberating rooms or for jury management at 14 locations, as an additional safety measure.
Each Crown Court building must meet clear standards and safety criteria approved by public health bodies before they can hold jury trials and each is subject to regular review.
Jurors’ feedback
As an organisation, we always welcome feedback and use it to inform future services and ways of working. Jurors’ feedback from all parts of the country over the last ten months has been both reassuring and inspiring.
A juror in June last year, described a “very positive experience.” Another at the same court commented:
What an experience and given the pandemic amazing organisational skills.
For our court staff in particular, it’s reassuring to have their hard work recognised. One juror praised the service at Oxford Crown Court in August 2020:
You did a great deal of work and thought on how to set up the building in the safest possible way. Much appreciated.
Another juror, who had expressed concerns before their trial last year at Woolwich Crown Court, commented afterwards:
Jury experience very good. Varied opinions and everyone given the chance to participate. Relieved!
Responding to a summons
If you receive a summons, it’s important to remember that you can ask to be excused from jury service if you are able to give a good reason, such as having a serious illness or if you are caring for someone who does. You may also ask to change the dates of your jury service, if you cannot attend on the dates in your summons letter.
Concerns about coronavirus itself is not a basis to defer or be excused from jury service, unless you have recently tested positive or are displaying symptoms. Similarly, if you are following advice to self-isolate you will not be expected to start your jury service until your isolation has ended, and should reply to your summons letter to give your reason.
It is vital that jurors continue to uphold the honourable principles first outlined by Æthelred the Unready, and developed over centuries, to meet the demands of a modern, civilised society. We owe them all an enormous debt of gratitude.
[English] - [Cymraeg]
Arwyr di-glod y system gyfiawnder troseddol
Mae haneswyr wedi anghytuno'n fawr â tharddiad y rheithgor. Mae'r rhan fwyaf yn cytuno, fodd bynnag, fod Ethelred yr Amharod - a ddaeth yn frenin Eingl-Sacsonaidd Lloegr yn 978 - wedi cyhoeddi cod cyfreithiol yn nodi bod angen deuddeg 'thegns' blaenllaw (mân foneddigion) o bob ardal i dyngu llw ar greiriau crefyddol i ymchwilio i droseddau heb ragfarn, a gweithredu'n unol â'r gyfraith a'u cydwybod dda eu hunain.
Roedd y 'rheithgorau' hyn yn hunan-hysbysu, felly yn hytrach na chael gwybodaeth drwy dreial, bu'n rhaid iddynt ymchwilio i'r achos eu hunain. Yna, disgwyliwyd iddynt gyhoeddi enwau unrhyw 'ddynion drwg-enwog neu ddrygionus' yn eu hardaloedd priodol.
Rydym wedi dod yn bell ers hynny gan fod y syniad o dreial gyda rheithgor wedi datblygu'n sylweddol. Ym 1215, roedd y Magna Carta yn cynnwys cydnabyddiaeth bod gan unigolyn yr hawl i gael ei dreialu gan 'farn gyfreithlon ei gyfoedion'. Erbyn canol y 15fed ganrif, roedd rheithgorau wedi dod yn adnabyddus fel aseswyr annibynnol ac roeddent yn enwog am eu rôl fel penderfynwyr ffeithiau.
Heddiw, mae rheithgorau'n parhau i fod yn un o egwyddorion cyson ein system gyfiawnder troseddol.
Rôl hanfodol yn ystod y pandemig
Ail-ddechreuodd treialon gyda rheithgor ym mis Mai y llynedd, ar ôl cael eu hatal dros dro ym mis Mawrth o ganlyniad i’r pandemig. Ni ellir gorbwysleisio rôl y rheithgor wrth gyflawni treialon a chadw'r system gyfiawnder yn weithredol ers hynny, ac ers dechrau'r pandemig rydym wedi anfon ychydig o dan 470,000 o wysion, er nad yw pob un o'r rhain yn cael eu cyflwyno wrth gwrs.
Atgyfnerthodd yr Arglwydd Brif Ustus, Yr Arglwydd Burnett o Maldon, arwyddocâd eu rôl yn ddiweddar, pan ddywedodd: "Mae treial gyda rheithgor wrth wraidd ein system gyfiawnder troseddol ac mae gwasanaethu fel rheithiwr yn ddyletswydd gyhoeddus bwysig. Diolch i bawb sy'n gwasanaethu ar reithgor, yn enwedig yn ystod pandemig COVID-19, am chwarae eu rhan i gefnogi’r broses o weinyddu cyfiawnder."
Rydym yn falch mai ni oedd y cyntaf ymhlith awdurdodaethau tebyg yn fyd-eang i ailddechrau treialon gyda rheithgor mewn ffordd sy'n ddiogel rhag COVID, ac mae ein Llysoedd y Goron bellach yn rhestru cannoedd o achosion – 309 o dreialon gyda rheithgor yr wythnos ar gyfartaledd - mewn nifer tebyg o ystafelloedd llys ledled Cymru a Lloegr.
Mae hyn yn golygu ein bod wedi gallu delio â'r achosion mwyaf brys i gadw pobl yn ddiogel, amddiffyn y rhai sy'n agored i niwed a diogelu plant ar adeg pan herid pob elfen o gymdeithas, ac hyd yn oed yn cael ei chyfaddawdu, gan effeithiau dinistriol COVID-19.
Yn wyneb nifer cynyddol o achosion dros ben ym mis Mai y llynedd, mae’r gwaith adfer yng nghyswllt achosion troseddol bellach yn symud yn gyflym, diolch yn rhannol i aelodau tawel, urddasol y rheithgor y mae treialon gyda rheithgor yn dibynnu arnynt.
Diogelwch yn bennaf oll
Er mwyn darparu amgylchedd diogel i’r rheithwyr, ac yn wir i holl ddefnyddwyr ein llysoedd, mae gennym ystod o drefniadau arbennig ar waith i gynnal diogelwch. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys cefnogi trefniadau cadw pellter cymdeithasol gyda mynedfeydd ac allanfeydd dan oruchwyliaeth ofalus, ac mewn rhai achosion, defnyddio sgriniau Plexiglass i helpu i gadw pobl ar wahân a darparu ystafell llys ar wahân ar gyfer trafodaethau rheithgor. Mewn ystafelloedd trafod llai, rydym yn darparu masgiau llawfeddygol sy'n gwrthsefyll hylif i reithwyr fel rhagofal ychwanegol. Yn y cyfamser, mae adeiladau Portakabin ar wahân wedi'u gosod ac maent yn cael eu defnyddio fel ystafelloedd trafod y rheithgor neu ar gyfer rheoli rheithgor mewn 14 lleoliad, fel mesur diogelwch ychwanegol.
Rhaid i bob adeilad Llys y Goron fodloni safonau clir a meini prawf diogelwch a gymeradwyir gan gyrff iechyd cyhoeddus cyn y gallant gynnal treialon gyda rheithgor ac mae pob un yn destun adolygiad rheolaidd.
Adborth gan reithwyr
Fel sefydliad, rydym bob amser yn croesawu adborth ac yn ei ddefnyddio i lywio gwasanaethau a ffyrdd o weithio yn y dyfodol. Mae adborth y rheithgor, o bob rhan o'r wlad, dros y deng mis diwethaf wedi bod yn galonogol ac yn ysbrydoledig.
Disgrifiodd rheithiwr a oedd yn gwasanaethu ym mis Mehefin y llynedd fel "profiad cadarnhaol iawn". Dywedodd un arall yn yr un llys:
"Am brofiad ac o ystyried y pandemig sy’n mynd ymlaen ar hyn o bryd, roedd y sgiliau trefnu yn anhygoel."
I'n staff llys yn benodol, mae'n galonogol bod eu gwaith caled yn cael ei gydnabod, fel yr oedd gan y rheithiwr hwn a wasanaethodd yn Llys y Goron Rhydychen ym mis Awst 2020:
"Gwnaethoch lawer iawn o waith heb sôn am sut gwnaethoch osod cynllun yr adeilad yn y ffordd fwyaf diogel posibl. Diolch yn fawr."
A dywedodd rheithiwr a oedd wedi mynegi pryderon cyn treial y llynedd, ar y diwedd:
"Roedd y profiad o wasanaethu ar reithgor yn dda iawn. Barn amrywiol a phawb yn cael cyfle i gymryd rhan. Rhyddhad!" Llys y Goron Woolwich, Mehefin 2020.
Ymateb i wŷs
Os ydych yn derbyn gwŷs, mae'n bwysig cofio y gallwch ofyn am gael eich esgusodi rhag gwasanaethu ar reithgor, os gallwch roi rheswm da fel eich bod yn dioddef o salwch difrifol neu os ydych yn gofalu am rywun sy'n dioddef o salwch difrifol. Gallwch hefyd ofyn am newid dyddiadau eich gwasanaeth rheithgor, os na allwch fod yn bresennol ar y dyddiadau yn eich llythyr gwŷs.
Nid yw pryderon am coronafeirws ei hun yn sail i ohirio neu gael eich esgusodi rhag gwasanaethu ar reithgor, oni bai eich bod wedi cael prawf positif yn ddiweddar neu'n arddangos symptomau. Yn yr un modd, os ydych yn dilyn cyngor i hunanynysu ni fydd disgwyl i chi ddechrau eich gwasanaeth rheithgor nes bod eich cofnod hunanynysu wedi dod i ben, a dylech ymateb i'ch llythyr gwŷs i roi eich rheswm.
Mae'n hanfodol bod rheithwyr yn parhau i gynnal yr egwyddorion anrhydeddus a amlinellwyd gyntaf gan Ethelred yr Amharod ac sydd wedi’u datblygu dros ganrifoedd, er mwyn bodloni gofynion cymdeithas fodern, wâr. Rydym yn ddiolchgar tu hwnt iddynt i gyd am eu cyfraniad enfawr.
1 comment
Comment by Mark Jones posted on
Nice to saw defence lawyers not considered here, and why should we thank the defence lawyers what have they done. Turning up to court each day dealing with the public in interview rooms and in the court cells, having to ask for table to be cleaned. Its not as fit the criminal justice system needs them.