The Common Platform, which has had considerable teething problems since rollout began in 2020, is now live. Under the platform, all relevant case materials will be available in one accessible place across all criminal courts and, for those convicted, on to the prison and probation service.
Courts, police, prosecutors and legal professionals will only be able to see information relevant to them.
Justice minister Mike Freer said: ‘It will allow instant and seamless information sharing that will reduce errors and ensure vital details about cases can be seen quickly by all those involved in a case.’
Lawyers and court staff have repeatedly complained of technical issues since rollout began in 2020. In February, a report by the National Audit Office highlighted glitches in the Common Platform that led to hundreds of notifications not being sent and 35 individuals not being fitted with an electronic tag.