Government has halted controversial policy of destroying court records, investigation reveals

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A controversial policy of destroying recordings of trials after seven years is to be abandoned, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has disclosed.

The policy, affecting courts in England and Wales, had been heavily criticised by lawyers and miscarriage of justice campaigners, who said the destruction of court records makes challenging a conviction almost impossible.

They point to cases like Omar Benguit – now the subject of a BBC Panorama investigation – where vital court records were erased.