Court faces closure threat

Newark Magistrates’ Court is one of 103 in England and Wales threatened with closure.

It was announced on Wednesday that Her Majesty’s Courts Service (HMCS) had started consultations to “better provide vital services for local communities.”

It is asking for views on whether to close courts said to be underused and inadequate.

Those at risk include Newark, Retford and Worksop — all the north Nottinghamshire courts except Mansfield.

Newark County Court, which shares the magistrates’ court on Magnus Street, is also under threat as one of 54 that could go.

The Crown Prosecution Service has indicated that Newark Magistrates’ Court does not have enough work to sustain it.

The CPS now staffs one criminal court rather than two leaving the upstairs court for county, family and fine defaulter hearings.

Commenting on the possible closure, a Newark magistrate said: “This hardly represents local justice when everyone has to travel to Nottingham.

“This would represent a travesty in the administration of local justice and there are court staff to consider as well.

“There was also significant expense spent on modernising the old police station for court use.”

Solicitor Mr Clive Rossin, of Larken and Co, has practised in Newark for 30 years and said the threat to the court was the greatest posed in that time.

“The consultation process ends in September and I am sure that all local solicitors who practise at the magistrates’ court will make strong representations,” he said.

“The magistrates’ court system is what underpins the English legal system.

“There has always been local justice administered by local people.

“Every magistrates’ court has its own particular character and is hard on the offences that people within its communities resent most — town-centre violence and burglary, for instance.

“Newark has a reputation as a tough court.

“One court sitting in a city or town away from those locally pressing issues administers faceless justice. The guidelines passed down by Government are applied more closely.”

Mr Rossin also feared that clients would have great difficulty attending court in Nottingham or Mansfield.

“Many people who appear before the courts are at the lower end of the income scale. I am concerned for the clients,” he said.

“If they fail to appear because they cannot afford to get there then a bail act offence is committed.”

The MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer, said: “This seems to be yet another erosion of Newark’s infrastructure.

“It is by no means settled yet. It is only a recommendation, but I shall be speaking to the Ministry of Justice to test their feelings on it.”

HMCS says if all the closures went ahead running cost savings of about £15.3m a year could be achieved, and a £211/2m maintenance bill could be avoided.

Courts Minister Jonathan Djanogly said: “When public finances are under pressure, it is vital to eliminate waste and reduce costs.

“The Government is committed to supporting local justice, enabling justice to be done and seen to be done in our communities.”