A MAN accused of dealing heroin in Woking will not face justice until October next year because of long delays in the UK criminal justice system.
Bruce Webster, 42, of Liquorice Lane, Woking, appeared at Guildford Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on August 21, 2023.
He stands accused of possessing “a quantity” of heroin with intent to supply on July 19 in Woking, which he denies.
Mr Webster will return to the same court for a three-day trial – but not until the week commencing October 14, 2024.
He has been remanded on conditional bail until September next year for a pre-trial hearing.
As of the first quarter of 2023, the mean average for a serious criminal offence to reach a conclusion in the crown courts of England and Wales was 676 days.
Court delays were at their highest in the third quarter of 2021 – and while still high, have gradually improved since then.