SUMMARY justice is to leave Harrow after the Government confirmed the borough's sole magistrates' court - one of the busiest in England and Wales - will shut.
Justice minister Jonathan Djanogly revealed on Tuesday (Dec 14) Harrow Magistrates' Court in Rosslyn Crescent, Harrow, had not been granted a reprieve despite strong cross-party opposition to the closure.
Cases heard by 85 JPs at the listed building, ranging from petty crimes to serious offences, will eventually be transferred to Brent Magistrates' Court and Hendon Magistrates' Court, meaning defendants, victims, witnesses, barristers and solicitors, police officers and court staff, as well as members of the public, will have to travel out of Harrow for criminal hearings.
Bench chairman Nigel Orton said: “The announcement will be very disappointing news for all in Harrow, especially as cogent and powerful arguments had been made, and viable alternatives suggested.<!---->
“The bench believed justice is best served by keeping open courts, so people can see their local court in operation and have confidence in the criminal justice system.
“The bench and Harrow Council had argued that there were no cost savings by closing Harrow once increases incurred by other public agencies are taken in to account.
“They had pointed to local people being put to greater expense, inconvenience and costs in accessing justice.”
Council leader Bill Stephenson (Labour) said: “This is an outrageous decision that flies against all the evidence presented to the justice minister and makes a mockery of the Government’s so-called commitment to localism.”
Tory opposition leader Councillor Susan Hall said: “I’m absolutely devastated for residents. The council put forward a very strong case, with detailed evidence of how the ministry’s numbers didn’t add up, so it is doubly disappointing.”
Harrow Magistrates' Court lies among the busiest in the entire country with its courtrooms in use for 97 per cent of available time but is one of 10 courts in London and 142 across England and Wales to be axed.
A HMCS spokesman said: “We expect the first court to close in April 2011 but some courts will be more straightforward to close as they sit infrequently and are not run as separate entities and we're going to consult with staff and bench chairs to decant work into receiving courts effectively and without disruption to services.”
