The Central Criminal Court, which resumed sittings yesterday after the summer recess, is scheduled to deal with more than 50 rape and murder trials during the present law term, which ends just before Christmas.
This is half the total number of cases received by the court last year when 72 rape and 28 murder cases were returned from the District Court. Already this year more than 140 cases - the majority for serious sex offences and the balance for murder - have been received by the Central Criminal Court with more returns anticipated over the final two months.