According to an article in The Times newspaper, the experience of last summer’s London riots sparked the need for a strategy to deal with potential disturbances, with the police, Courts Service and other criminal justice agencies all consulting with the CPS on the plan.

Extended sittings

Suspects who fall under a specially defined ‘Olympics offence’ – which considers where, when the incident took place, as well as whether a competitor, official or spectator is involved – will be dealt with swiftly. Suspects are expected to be charged within hours, while courts across London will sit in the evenings and early mornings to deal with the potential increase in hearings.
Suspected offenders will also be ‘beamed’ into hearings through a ‘live-link’ to avoid extra traffic disruptions, London’s Chief Crown Prosecutor, Alison Saunders, told The Times.

Riot lessons

Ms Saunders stated that: ‘People who commit offences on Tuesday will be in court on Wednesday… we are learning the lessons of the summer riots.’
She also added that it would be impossible to predict whether crime rates would rise or fall during the Games. Offences such as ticket touting, low-level disorder, pick-pocketing and muggings are expected, but Ms Saunders did not want to rule out the positive effects that the Games may have. She said: ‘There is no direct comparison. At the Manchester Commonwealth Games, offending levels actually fell, perhaps because people were preoccupied and also because there was a feel good factor.’