DEFENDANTS facing trial in West Mercia magistrates courts are most likely to appear in front of a Conservative party supporter, new figures reveal today.

Now, renewed efforts are to be made to ensure that magistrates better reflect the country's social mix.

A Government survey of political leanings has discovered 41 per cent of JPs in West Mercia are Conservatives.

According to the Lord Chancellor's department, which has responsibility for courts in England and Wales, 270 of the 657 magistrates consider themselves supporters of the party. Some 156 vote Labour, 107 Liberal Democrat, 40 other and 84 are uncommitted.

The LCD now plans to review efforts to improve the social mix of JPs amid concerns about the large number of Conservative voters.

A significant percentage of Tory support is drawn from upper or middle class voters, according to research.

Legal chiefs are concerned this could mean that magistrates benches are being dominated by the more affluent classes.

A spokesman for the LCD said: "Officials are looking at how they can come up with a new sort of classification and new criteria in terms of individuals' social backgrounds."

Nationally, 8,395 of the 24,419 JPs - 34 per cent - are Tories. Some 6,221 are Labour, 3,199 Liberal Democrats, 1,631 other parties and 4,973 uncommitted.