MORE court trials are going ahead on the day they are planned in North Yorkshire than required by targets, according to figures released yesterday.

The Office for Criminal Justice Reform has published its quarterly report into the performance of the North Yorkshire Criminal Justice Board.

The figures show the rate of trials that do not go ahead on the day they are planned in crown courts is 12.1 per cent, against a target of less than 15 per cent. In magistrates' courts, the figure is 14.3 per cent of trials not going ahead when planned, against a target of less than 18 per cent.

Eighty eight per cent of fines issued by magistrates' courts were collected, compared with a target of 83 per cent, while the number of days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders was 55 days compared to a national target of no more than 71 days.

The figures relate to the final quarter of 2006.

A spokesperson for the board said: "It is important that young people are able to see the direct correlation between their actions and the consequences of those actions - the offence they commit and the consequences in court.

"In order for this to take place, justice needs to be quick and effective."