Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner says he offered use of Cirencester Nightingale Court five months ago
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) have only recently announced it will open in October
Last updated 25th Sep 2020
A court in Gloucestershire which closed in 2012 is going to open to deal with a backlog of cases caused by the coronavirus crisis.
The former Cirencester court building will be refurbished to hear the 1,000 cases waiting to be heard - a record high and a number that has more than doubled since the start of the pandemic.
The Lord Chancellor has recently announced the former magistrates’ court in Cirencester as one of eight additional ‘Nightingale Courts’ as part of plans to tackle the impact of COVID-19 on the justice system.
But, Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner offered Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), which runs the country’s courts, free of use of the building back in May.
Gloucestershire Police and Crime COmmissioner, Martin Surl, said:
“Our courts are on their knees, struggling to cope with Covid, and the speed of the response has been lamentable.
“There’s been lots of noise from the Ministry about creating temporary Nightingale Courts to try and tackle the backlog. I offered them a ready-made building in May and it could have been operating months ago.
“Behind those 1,000 cases there are more than 1,000 victims, witnesses and defendants with a court appearance hanging over their heads.
Cirencester Court adjoins the town’s police station and operated as both a magistrates’ court and reserve crown court until it was axed by the HMCTS in a cull of local courts in 2012.
It was acquired by the PCC to protect the integrity of the police estate and would only need updated IT for it to function as a court once more.
Gloucestershire has just two remaining criminal courts and neither complies with equality legislation relating to people with disabilities.
Gloucester Crown Court is a listed building and cannot be modified to accommodate current social distancing regulations.
Martin Surl added:
“I saw a problem and offered a solution. No-one else locally came up with any alternative. It’s been a huge amount to effort to get to this stage and my office has worked tirelessly on it. In fact, I feel the OPCC has come to the rescue of justice in Gloucestershire.
“HMCTS appear to have got there in the end but I‘m disappoint it’s taken them so long.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said:
“We are seeing positive early signs stemming from our work to keep the justice system moving during the pandemic.
"The number of outstanding magistrates’ cases are falling, while Crown Courts are listing more than 100 jury trials per week.
“To continue this recovery we are investing an additional £80m in our courts, with eight more Nightingale Courts, 1,600 new staff and more technology to boost our capacity.”