Grenfell Tower: criminal charges delayed, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be justice

In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people, blame for the tragedy was laid at the feet of local and national governments, the building’s management company and the corporations it had contracted to renovate the tower. Two years on, campaigners have reacted with dismay to the news that charges might not be brought until 2021 – meaning that the earliest a criminal trial could take place would be 2022, five years after the fire.

Some seem to believe that the delay in launching prosecutions means that those responsible for the Grenfell tragedy won’t face justice, or that authorities are not taking the case seriously. In fact, the amount of time and resources the police are committing to the investigation suggests exactly the opposite.