Emergency 'Nightingale court' opens in Telford to ease backlog of cases
Telford's so-called emergency 'Nightingale court' has opened its doors as part of efforts to ease the county's backlog of family and civil cases.
Based in the town's former county court building, it is among 10 such sites being set up to help the justice system cope with the hearings which have built up during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The move is part of efforts to ensure courts recover quickly from the effects of the lockdown period, with proceedings being heard in three court rooms.
Nightingale courts have been rolled out across the country to alleviate the pressure on courts and tribunals resulting from the pandemic – ensuring that the wheels of justice keep turning.
Justice Minister, Alex Chalk, said: “I’m grateful to the Telford Justice Centre for playing its part in the national effort to recover from this unprecedented pandemic. It will help reduce delays in our courts and ensure speedier justice for the people of Telford.
“This is part of our plan to work with the judiciary, courts staff and legal sector, to pursue every available option to ensure our courts recover from the effects of Covid as quickly as possible.”
More Covid-19 coverage:
The move will help free up room in existing courts to hear other cases, including jury trials, which require cells and secure dock facilities to keep the public, victims and witnesses safe.
Other recently opened Nightingale courts include Borough, in London; Middlesbrough; Hertfordshire and Swansea.
Minimise
In March, almost half of all courts shut and jury trials were paused following Public Health England advice, to minimise social interaction between court users.
Court staff, legal professionals and the judiciary have been prioritising cases to keep the justice system going in lockdown – with around 90 per cent of court buildings now reopened.
During lockdown, domestic abuse victims were able to obtain protection orders, children could be safeguarded, and dangerous suspects dealt with.
Since May, crown courts have carried out a phased resumption of jury trials and at least 64 are now hosting juries under strict social distancing conditions.
More widely, almost all courts and tribunals sites are now open to the public again – with 311 in operation as of August 18.
Other measures announced by the Lord Chancellor to help ease pressure on the courts system include opening courts for longer to increase the number of cases that can be heard safely on any given day, and continuing the use of video technology to hear cases where appropriate.
Potential sites for additional Nightingale courts are also being explored.
A major £142 million investment across the courts system has also been announced to speed up technological improvements and modernise courtrooms.
Shrewsbury Crown Court held some sentencing and preliminary hearings throughout the lockdown period with restricted access.
