Shropshire courts shake-up is defended
The courts service has defended the decision to stop hearing remand cases in Shropshire following criticism from a solicitor.
Since April this year, all remand cases in the county where prisoners are produced before magistrates have been held at Kidderminster, following a decision to close the custody block at the court in Telford.
He said defendants arrested on warrants were being held for up to 32 hours before appearing before the court.
They were then sometimes released late at night, and left to make their own way back to Shropshire after the buses had stopped running.
But a spokesman for HM Courts and Tribunal Service said the move aimed to make the system more efficient.
But he said the process continued to be monitored to see how it was working. He said the service would look at any ways the system could be improved.
"Following a public consultation, remand cases were moved from Telford to Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court to improve listings and trial management at Telford," he said.
"The operation of the centralised remand court continues to be monitored and we are working closely with criminal justice agencies, professional court users and other partners to resolve any concerns raised.
“We are investing over £1 billion to reform and modernise the justice system – to deliver swifter justice and provide better value for the taxpayer.”
Warrants
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed that defendants were being held for an average of 15 hours after their arrest since the new system came into force.
The figures relate to defendants arrested on warrants between 7.30am and 2.30pm at Shrewsbury and Telford Malinsgate police stations, over a four-month period starting April 3.
It showed that of the 170 arrested, 53 were held in custody for more than 20 hours.
In a letter to the Midland Judicial Business Group, which is responsible for the organisation of the courts in the region, he also said staff were being put at risk because of inadequate security at Kidderminster court.
He said there had been two violent incidents at the court since the start of September, but concerns about safety had fallen on deaf ears.
Mr McMillan said the fact that the delays related to defendants arrested before 2.30pm was particularly significant.
"We were of course aware that even under the old system, if a defendant was charged or arrested on a warrant in the late afternoon or evening, he would have to wait for the court the following morning," he said.
"However, it was those who were arrested or charged who could have been taken over to court when it was sitting next door, except for this policy decision, that concerned us."
