Three Shropshire magistrates courts close
They have been dishing out local justice across the county since medieval times, but now the Government has called time on three Shropshire magistrates courts in a bid to save money. They have been dishing out local justice across the county since medieval times, but now the Government has called time on three Shropshire magistrates courts in a bid to save money. Courts in Oswestry, Market Drayton and Ludlow are closing their doors for the final time this week as part of massive Government spending cuts, meaning their workload will now be switched to Shrewsbury. It marks the end of an era for Shropshire and especially for Ludlow, which was believed to have the oldest working court in the country with a history stretching back 550 years. But former magistrate Judith Clayton, who chaired the Market Drayton Magistrates' Bench for 20 years until 2001, today warned the shake-up will be a "disaster" for the delivery of local justice. Full story in today's paper
They have been dishing out local justice across the county since medieval times, but now the Government has called time on three Shropshire magistrates courts in a bid to save money.
Courts in Oswestry, Market Drayton and Ludlow are closing their doors for the final time this week as part of massive Government spending cuts, meaning their workload will now be switched to Shrewsbury.
It marks the end of an era for Shropshire and especially for Ludlow, which was believed to have the oldest working court in the country with a history stretching back 550 years.
But former magistrate Judith Clayton, who chaired the Market Drayton Magistrates' Bench for 20 years until 2001, today warned the shake-up will be a "disaster" for the delivery of local justice.
She said: "I'm very distressed by it because I chaired the Market Drayton bench during the time when they closed the Whitchurch court.
"Back then I felt that to be taking local justice out of these local market towns was a disaster and it still is a disaster now.
"When you take justice away from the local community, especially in a rural area like ours, its harder for victims and witnesses to get involved.
"It takes a dimension out of life in local communities and I don't understand the concept that the Government says it is committed to localism when it is going about closing local courts."
She added that she joined about 30 other people who attended the court on Wednesday to hear the last cases.
In court, Peter Eardley, chairman of the magistrates, said there were concerns about how people would travel to Shrewsbury and said the closure would have an "adverse impact" on users.
Defence solicitor Andrew Holland said: "I have been coming here for some time and I know the defence advocates always enjoyed coming to Market Drayton."
Government officials insist the closure of 93 courts in England and Wales to save money will not harm the justice system but will stop public money going to waste in "under-utilised" courts.
Zoe Campbell, Her Majesty's Courts Service spokesman, said: "The Government is committed to supporting local justice, enabling justice to be done and be seen to be done in our communities.
"Closures will ultimately help to modernise and improve the use of courts in England and Wales."
