Matt Shea: “The UK justice system is entering dangerous, uncharted territory with devastating results”

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A new investigation has revealed a worrying increase in the number of criminal suspects failing to appear in court, including those accused of serious crimes like rape, robbery, and violent attacks. This is creating a crisis within the UK justice system and causing significant harm to victims and their families.

If someone doesn’t show up for their court date or sentencing, a judge can issue an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court. Our research involved asking police forces in England and Wales for information, and we found that they received almost 60,000 of these warrants in 2025 alone.

The number of criminals failing to appear in court – potentially reaching almost 60,000 – is at an all-time high, increasing by nearly 50% since 2020. This is especially noticeable in Crown Courts, which handle the most severe crimes like murder and rape, where the number of outstanding warrants has more than doubled.

The situation is much the same in Scotland when you consider its population size. Police Scotland had 5,808 warrants for people who hadn’t been apprehended as of early 2026, and many of these individuals had been wanted for years.

While many criminals are eventually caught, our research shows a significant backlog of outstanding arrest warrants in England and Wales – over 30,000 in total. More than 7,000 of these warrants are for people who failed to appear in court before 2020, meaning they’ve been wanted by police for years without being apprehended.

I wanted to understand how so many criminals are managing to evade capture, and why this is becoming a growing issue. To investigate, I spent months searching for some of the UK’s most sought-after fugitives. What I discovered wasn’t just that criminals are getting better at hiding. In my film, I tracked down and interviewed five British fugitives, including an in-person conversation with one of the National Crime Agency’s top targets.

In conversations with criminals, a worrying trend emerged: they view attending court as optional. Several described avoiding trial as simple as booking a flight. This raises a serious question: how have we reached a point where people believe they can choose whether or not to face justice in the UK?

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When a suspect runs away, it can be incredibly painful for the families of victims. Ciara Ryan’s brother was killed by a driver, Rashid Ali, who was speeding. Her trust in the justice system was shattered when Ali fled to Pakistan to avoid trial. We investigated and discovered he even managed to return to the UK at one point without being apprehended. He still hasn’t been held accountable for his actions.

The serious problems within our justice system rarely get the focus they deserve. When issues like accidental prisoner releases or early release of criminals do make the news, the attention quickly fades, and we’re left with no lasting solutions. Even significant proposals, like eliminating jury trials, are often discussed briefly and then forgotten.

The situation is getting worse. The number of cases waiting to be heard in Crown Courts is expected to reach 100,000 by the end of next year, and some people charged with crimes today might not have their cases heard until 2030. Leading judge Sir Brian Leveson has cautioned that the court system could completely break down.

Honestly, as a movie lover, I keep thinking about how frustrating delays are – and it’s not just in films! It seems like when trials get pushed back, it creates a real mess. Alex Chalk, who used to be the justice secretary, put it perfectly: delays are seriously damaging. He explained that prosecutors worry defendants might skip town when things are delayed, and he called the whole situation a ‘horror show,’ which really resonated with me – it’s just a frustrating waste of time and resources.

According to Chalk, when he was justice secretary, he unsuccessfully urged then-Prime Minister Sunak to address this issue.

Now our politicians must do their best to pick up the pieces of our crumbling justice system.

Hunting Britain’s Fugitives is on Friday 29 May at 8.00pm on C4

Authors

Matt Shea

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2026-05-25 19:45