Minister does not rule out court rethink
The Lord Chancellor said he did not rule out reversing the controversial decision to close Shropshire's only remand court during a visit to the county.
David Gauke, who is also Justice Secretary, said the effects of the decision to hear all of the county's remand cases in outside the county in Kidderminster were being monitored. He said the decision could be reviewed if there was evidence it was not working.
Mr Gauke was speaking during a visit to Wolverhampton University's Telford campus yesterday (WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29).
All of Shropshire's remand cases have been heard at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court since the shake-up in April.
They were previously heard at Shropshire's only magistrates' court in Telford.
The reorganisation has led to journeys of more than 50 miles for defendants from the north west of the county to appear before magistrates in Kidderminster.
In some cases defendants have appeared for just a few minutes before having their cases adjourned to be heard in Telford.
Lawyers have also voiced concerns about defendants being released from custody in Kidderminster with no way of making their way home.
Mr Gauke said the decision to stop holding remand hearings in Shropshire had not been taken lightly, but said it could be reversed if there was evidence it was not working.
He said: "These were reforms made after considerable consultation, and we will continue to look at the evidence.
"We will monitor it to see how the new arrangements are working in terms of court delays."
Mr Gauke said the matter was raised in a brief meeting with Telford & Wrekin Council leader Councillor Shaun Davies during his visit to the university.
He added: "As a matter of course we would want to monitor it, but I wouldn't be putting a time-frame on it."
His comments came days after Councillor Richard Overton, deputy leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, wrote to Mr Gauke urging him to reconsider the arrangements.
Councillor Overton said: “This is not a just system and it is leading to problems for victims, witnesses, defendants, solicitors and police officers.
“It is patently ridiculous that there is no overnight remand court in a county the size of Shropshire."
Councillor Overton said it has led to defendants being held in cells longer than necessary and also led to some people having difficult journeys home after appearing in court.
"It also goes against the core principle of local justice for local people and means a more costly system with many cases adjourned in Kidderminster to come back to Shropshire," he added.
“It was much simpler under the old system – defendants could walk from Telford police station to Telford magistrates or be driven to Shrewsbury.”
Councillor Overton said there was only one van to transport prisoners to the court in Kidderminster and anyone who surrendered after 6pm and missed the van had to be held overnight.
He said if they were then released without charge, they would have to find their own way home, leading to them being separated from their families for 36 hours – despite in some instances having not committed a crime.
