Updates for Monday 7 September 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 Tuesday
Craig Lewis
BBC News
Corby and Wellingborough Magistrates' Courts are among the ten slowest magistrate court justice areas in England.
Yet both courts are only open two days a week. This week Corby is open on Wednesday and Friday, and Wellingborough on Monday and Thursday.
Corby, along with Kettering Magistrates' Court, is among 91 nationally earmarked for closure.
Today we've been looking at figures obtained by the BBC, which show lengthening delays in the time taken for cases to be dealt with by magistrates.
You've been sending us your comments:
Catherine Dartnell writes on Facebook, external: "Sometimes, due to multiple failings, cases are postponed then "thrown out" of court - maybe to make their figures look better?"
To let us know your thought then email me, head to Facebook, external or tweet using the hashtag #slowjustice
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
The mother of a teenager stabbed to death by hisbest friend has told BBC Northampton the court system “takes over your life”.
Image source, Alison HarrisonAlison Harrison was speaking after it was revealed it has taken an average of 88 days for cases to progress through the court system in Northamptonshire this year.
She said: “You don’t know what’s happening. You don’t know what to do. It’s really difficult and you’ve got that weight over your head. It just takes over your life.”
Craig Lewis
BBC News
Up in court now is a man accused of breaching his bail conditions. He was originally accused of assault by beating on July 7, pleaded not guilty and was released on conditional bail.
The prosecution says he sent a "love letter" to the woman he's accused of beating and this was the first time he has breached bail conditions.
The woman says she is worried his behaviour may escalate. The accused admits he sent the letter.
Craig Lewis
BBC News
The next is a case of a man - it's been all men so far - accused of driving a 'superbike' without due care and attention.
An afternoon has put aside on November 12 to hear the case in full.
The same man is also accused of criminal damage and assaulting a police officer - the allegation is he threw plates at them, with those charges to be tried on December 4 at Northampton.
The defendant asks why the cases can't be tried together to save him coming to court twice. The magistrates say cases are being treated separately, so must be tried separately.
Martin Borley
BBC Radio Northampton
As the Department of Justice propose to close both Kettering and Corby magistrates courts, at a meeting tonight, Kettering borough councillors will discuss a proposal to offer the council's own building as a courtroom, to keep justice local.
Image source, GoogleA report says the council "has rooms and a council chamber already suitable and easily adapted for formal hearings and tribunals".
The report adds that a priority for the council is to support and enable the development of the town centre as a retail, leisure and public service hub. It says loss of the court services in Kettering would damage the town centre by fragmenting that public service offer."
Craig Lewis
BBC News
The next case is going to sent to the crown court, meaning it won't be heard here. The defendant is accused of preventing the course of justice and driving while disqualified.
The man is a "member of professional football fraternity" but the court goes into no more detail as to where he plays.
Craig Lewis
BBC News
The man accused of stealing the meat is Carl Bacon and he has now pleaded guilty. The court has heard he is a "prolific shoplifter".
Mr Bacon stole meat worth £170 from Marks & Spencer. He has also pleaded guilty to failing to turn up to court on 3 September.
The court heard that Bacon has been using heroin "for quite some period of time". He had stopped but his brother's suicide sparked a relapse.
Due to his co-operation with Probation, Bacon escapes jail and is instead fined £365, to be taken from his benefits.
Craig Lewis
BBC News
The court has been hearing the case of Jamie Lee Cook, who has pleaded guilty to causing distress to a woman and begging
Cook, 29, of no fixed abode, abused a woman outside a Co-Op store in Northampton on 12 August. She didn't give him change when he was begging
The duty solicitor Kevin Carter tells the court Cook has drug and alcohol addictions
Mr Carter asks if Cook can be considered as a drug rehabilitation requirement (DRR) case. The probation service agrees and the case is adjourned.
BBC Radio Northampton
Retired Northamptonshire Police chief constable Adrian Lee expressed concerns about delays in the court system when he left the force in July.
Mr Lee said delays often lead to a spike in offending.
Quote MessageWe know that when people are charged with offences and are waiting to go to trial they can become particularly prolific offenders, so getting people to court quickly is an important part of prevention and I am concerned about the delays.
Adrian Lee, Retired Northamptonshire Police chief constable
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Craig Lewis
BBC News
The next case is of a man accused of stealing meat. He was supposed to be in court on 3 September but the court can't find detailed papers.
The legal adviser tells court there is "little information," adding "but that's the way it's going". The bench has now retired.
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
The increase in the amount of time it is taking for cases to be processed through the court system comes at a time when the numbers of defendants on trial in our courts is going down.
So less people are going through the court system now then in 2011, but the time it takes to process each case is taking longer.
Craig Lewis
BBC News
The court has just attempted to hear two cases via video link, from where the defendants are being held in Woodhill Prison.
The first worked perfectly. However, the second had not spoken to their solicitor and hadn't been brought down to do the video link.
It will take 10-15 minutes to get him down from his cell. The alleged crime is that he stole coffee. The court will come back to the case later.
Craig Lewis
BBC News
The magistrates have returned in the case of the accused charged with assault by beating and breaking a restraining order.
Because of their past convictions for breaching restraining orders and the seriousness of the case, the accused is remanded in custody.
The case will be heard again on Wednesday to re-consider bail application if the accused can find somewhere to stay outside Northamptonshire.
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
Corby Magistrates' Court takes 108 days on average to process cases – one of the slowest courts in the country.
Bench chairman Terry Knights questioned if some suspects were playing the system.
Quote MessageIt has to be said some of the defendants know that trials take a long time and unfortunately there are quite a few repeat offenders who know if that plead not guilty on their first appearance it’s going to be a long time before they get to court, and if they’re really lucky the witnesses will say I can’t be bothered with that.
Terry Knights, Corby Magistrates’ Bench chairman
Craig Lewis
BBC News
In case you've not been in a magistrates' court, it is rather different from what you may have seen on television.
Decisions are made by a Bench of three magistrates, who are volunteers who hear cases in courts in their community.
They are not legally trained, but instead are advised by a legal adviser who doesn't make any decisions but is legally qualified.
Craig Lewis
BBC News
I'm at Northampton Magistrates Court today, and in the current case the accused is said to have gone to the victim's home and grabbed her by the windpipe.
Application for bail is being considered and the magistrates have retired to consider their decision.
The accused pleaded not guilty, saying he didn't go to the victim's house.
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Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
Craig Lewis is reporting live from Northampton Magistrates court today and as you can see from his update below the first case didn't go smoothly.
It was meant to happen via 'video link', meaning someone involved in the case was not in Northampton and would speak to the court through the video link from where they're being held in custody.
Unfortunately, the solicitor was not 'in the booth', not in the right place for proceedings to continue.
We'll have more on what's happening at Northampton Magistrates' Court through the day.