It is frequently claimed that the right of a defendant to elect trial by jury is an ancient one, enshrined in Magna Carta.

In fact, there was no right to claim trial by jury until 1855.

Allowed justices, with the consent of the accused, to try various petty larcenies.

Interestingly, the 1855 changes were made for "diminishing expense and delay in the administration of criminal justice."

The Summary Jurisdiction Act 1897 consolidated this earlier legislation, listing those indictable offences, which, with the defendant's consent, could be tried summarily.

This list was increased incrementally until the Criminal Justice Act 1925 which contained a much more extensive list of offences including, for the first time, serious theft offences, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and certain forgery offences.