BBC Local Live: Northamptonshire for Monday 7 September 2015

Summary

Updates for Monday 7 September 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 Tuesday

Live Reporting

Pete Cooper

Northampton Magistrates' Court: Solicitor 'not in booth'published at 10:09
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What's going on at Northampton Magistrates' Court today?published at 10:05
Craig Lewis
BBC News
There are three courts open at Northampton Magistrates' Court, where I am reporting from today; one with cases up for first time, one for ongoing cases and one for remand cases.
I'm starting off in Court Two, which is dealing with remand cases and video links
Live from Northampton Magistratespublished at 09:58
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Courts service 'sorry' for delay and say they are working to reduce thempublished at 09:41
BBC Radio Northampton
Paul Harris, delivery director at Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service, has told the BBC he apologises for the “distress” caused by delays, but added they are are "working very hard to reduce those delays".
Quote Message
“We are bringing in new arrangements to reduce that distress with people not having to go to court at all but use video conferencing, etcetera. We are doing a lot of work to make things better.”
Paul Harris, Delivery Director at Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service
Crown Court cases in Northants take more than seven months to processpublished at 09:26
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
The time taken to process magistrates’ court cases in Northamptonshire has increased from an average of 63 days in 2011 to 88 this year.
The national average is 63 days, meaning it takes 25 days longer in the county to resolve a case from the moment someone is charged to when their case is completed.
At Northampton Crown Court the average time for a case to be dealt with this year is 226 days - compared to a national average of 199 days.
Courts system in Northamptonshire a 'rollercoster'published at 09:08
Elinor Cross
BBC Radio Northampton
The criminal justice system is on the “cusp” of breaking down amid growing delays, according to Corby magistrates’ bench chairman Terry Knights.
One woman with experience of the court system in Northamptonshire is Alison Harrison, whose son Stanley was stabbed to death by his best friend.
Image source, Alison Harrison
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You don’t really know what is going on and as much as the police try to keep you informed they don’t know anything either, because it is all down to different people. It is a rollercoaster because one day you hear something, then you don’t hear anything for weeks and weeks and weeks.
Alison Harrison, Mother of murder victim Stanley Harrison
Witnesses and victims backing out of cases over delayspublished at 08:53
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
We’ve been talking about delays to cases at Corby Magistrates’ Court. What effect does this have on the justice system?
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It isn't unusual to get a court appearance which is someone's sixth court appearance for one case. At the end of the day, some of the witnesses and some of the victims say: 'I can't be bothered with this' and they don't turn up and therefore the case falls apart. Justice isn't done.
Terry Knights, Corby Magistrates’ Bench chairman
Northamptonshire courts three weeks slower than average – with two set to closepublished at 08:38
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
So far this year it has taken an average of 88 days for cases to progress through the court system in Northamptonshire.
Image source, Google
That is three weeks longer on average than crown and magistrates courts throughout the country.
It comes at a time when the government is considering closing both Corby and Kettering Magistrates’ Courts as part of a plan to modernise the justice system.
Criminal justice system 'starting to unravel'published at 08:24
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
Corby Magistrates' Court is one of the slowest in the country, taking 108 days on average to deal with cases.
Image source, Google
Bench chairman Terry Knights said the delays could be causing some cases to collapse, letting the guilty walk free.
He said: "I fear we are right on the cusp of things suddenly starting to unravel."
Today's Local Live: A special look at our justice systempublished at 08:15
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
Figures obtained by the BBC show lengthening delays in the time taken for cases to be dealt with by magistrates. Funding cuts have contributed to what some are calling a "postcode lottery" in the administration of justice.
Image source, Google
Through the day I'll bring you what people are telling us about our courts and we’ll be reporting live from Northampton magistrates’ court throughout the day, letting you know how things are progressing.
Morning weather: Sunny with some cloud aroundpublished at 08:06
BBC Weather
The morning will start cool but generally sunny. It will remain dry throughout the day although we will see some cloud feeding in from the east, so western parts such as around Daventry are likely to hold onto the best of the afternoon sunshine.
Top temperature today of 18C (64F). You can see Kate Kinsella's full forecast, external on the BBC Look East Facebook page.
Good morning and welcome to Local Livepublished at 08:00
Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live
Today is a special edition of Local Live, looking at how our criminal justice system is working.
But we'll still bring you any breaking news that happens and the latest weather and travel.
If you want to get in touch then you can email me, tweet us, external, or head to our Facebook page, external.