Updates on Monday 7 September 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 Tuesday
Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live
Here are our top stories:
Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live
As well as the court in Lowestoft, the magistrates' court at Bury St Edmunds is also under threat, with the local MP joining the campaign to fight for its future.
Jo Churchill says: "My absolute priority is that access to justice remains local. It is also clear that the current building is expensive to run and the service not used to optimum efficiency."
Andrew Woodger
BBC News
Proceedings in courtroom three at Ipswich Magistrates have resumed for the afternoon with another domestic violence trial.
A 33-year-old man from Ipswich denies charges of assaulting with a woman and a boy.
The woman has turned up in court but says she has retracted her statement in which the allegations were made.
Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live
We told you earlier that it's taking longer and longer for cases to be dealt with at our magistrates courts.
Image source, Geograph/Keith EvansSo what’s causing things to slow down? Funding cuts have been a factor: Nationally, the Crown Prosecution Service’s budget has been cut by 30% in the last five years and it has lost nearly 3,000 staff.
Locally, towns such as Sudbury and Thetford (in Norfolk) lost their courts in 2011 and, before that, Mildenhall (pictured), Haverhill and Newmarket suffered closures.
Andrew Woodger
BBC News
We're back at Ipswich Magistrates' Court now, where the case of a 55-year-old woman who used offensive language to neighbours in Glemsford and to police has been dealt with in courtroom three.
The defendant, who now lives in Norfolk, was given a conditional discharge which means she faces no further action as long as she stays out of trouble for six months in her case.
Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport
After a 4-1 home defeat to FC United of Manchester at the weekend, Lowestoft Town manager Ady Gallagher questioned both the fight and the honesty of his players, who have now failed to pick up a home win since the opening day of the season.
"There was clearly more fight in the dugout today than in some areas of the pitch," said Gallagher, who is set to make changes ahead of the forthcoming visit to Stalybridge in the National League North.
"I need to find players who have got the ability and desire to react."
Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport
Mildenhall Speedway Chairman Kevin Jolly was as outspoken as ever after the Fen Tigers loss at home to Birmingham Brummies yesterday, which secured the National League title for the West Midlands side.
Image source, Jeff Higgott photography"We fell apart again," he said. "I'm not sure if the riders are losing concentration or interest but I already know who I want back next year and who I don't."
Cambs Fire & Rescue tweet, external photogrpahs of their equipment in use in Sudbury.
Mainly dry day with some sunny spells. There is a small chance of seeing the odd spot of light rain in the cloudier east.
Top temperature 16C (61F)
Kelly McCormack
BBC Radio Suffolk
Babergh Council has opened a helpdesk at Sudbury Town Hall, to give support and advice to those who've been affected by the fire. It's thought about 20 people have been left homeless.
Simon Barrett, a councillor, believes the impact of the fire could be felt for years: "I mean the experience of Bury St Edmunds with Cupola House has taken a long time to get back on its feet again.
"These buildings are a similar sort of age and as you can see and smell they are timber framed and that's the trouble."
Graeme Mac
BBC Radio Suffolk sport
Suffolk Speedway fans had hoped that Mildenhall might spoil the party yesterday and prevent Birmingham Brummies from being crowned National League Champions, but after an encouraging start at West Row, the Fen Tigers familiar problems resurfaced.
Despite a double figure score from skipper Dan Halsey, Mildenhall lost 47-42 to the West Midlands side and Chairman Kevin Jolly knows his riders now face a challenge to avoid ending the campaign with the wooden spoon.
"Until recently I was hopeful we could finish in the top 4 but that isn't going to happen now. We're good one minute and dreadful the next and the boys need to battle hard now to avoid finishing bottom. Let's see how proud they are in the coming weeks," Jolly said.
Kate Arkell
BBC Radio Suffolk
In Bury St Edmunds, the borough council has already offered its own buildings to house court services if the current court building is no longer fit for purpose.
Image source, GoogleJohn Griffiths, the leader of St Edmundsbury Council, says he finds it "astonishing" that the courts closure is being considered, especially because it's a rural area and getting to Ipswich for a hearing could be an "incredibly difficult challenge" for some.
He's urging local people to join in the consultation process with evidence of the damage the closure of Bury Magistrates Court could do to local justice.
Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live
Here are the top stories we're looking at this lunchtime:
Andrew Woodger
BBC News
The only trial heard at court one at Ipswich magistrates this morning took 1 hour 50 minutes to be heard - and it was dismissed at 11:50.
Most of the time was spent in discussions between the Bench, Crown Prosecution Service and the defendant about whether two witnesses, having been summonsed to appear, would turn up.
The witness service had tried to call for them this morning, but after their no-show the prosecution had no evidence to offer.
The magistrates in courtroom one have now gone to lunch and will return at 14:00.
Andrew Woodger
BBC News
The defendant whose trial at Ipswich magistrates' court was dismissed after witnesses failed to turn up left the court complaining about it being a "waste of time" and was advised not to say any more by the chairwoman of the bench.
The 46-year-old man denied causing £80 of criminal damage to a plant pot and the prosecution said a car had been driven at the front door of a house in Ipswich and called it a domestic violence case.
David Allen, appointed by the court to represent the defendant, said: "My client has found the whole process very frustrating."
The case against a 46-year-old man accused of criminal damage and using violence to enter a property has been thrown out by magistrates in Ipswich.
Two witnesses in the case failed to appear at his trial, despite being asked to attend on 21 August.
As a result the prosecution could offer no evidence and magistrates dismissed the case.
Andrew Woodger
BBC News
Magistrates have returned to the Ipswich courtroom to hear the trial of a 46-year-old man who denies using violence to enter a property and criminal damage.
The defendant has returned, but two witnesses summonsed to appear in court have failed to turn up.
After 15 minutes of barristers outlining the issue, magistrates have again left the court to consider what to do next.
Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live
Andrew Woodger
BBC News
While we've been waiting for the criminal damage trial to resume, Ipswich magistrates have dealt with another case.
It involved a 19-year-old man from Aldeburgh and a fine issued over a light not working on a moped.
His case will now be heard by magistrates in Norwich in October.
Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live
Although Suffolk is one of the fastest counties in the region at dealing with magistrates’ court cases, it’s not as quick as it was.
In 2011, it took on average 17 days from a case first being listed to being dealt with by magistrates.
By last year, that figure had risen to just under 20 days. And during the first part of 2015, it had risen even further to 22.7 days.
