London’s Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman took a picture of the ceiling of a family room at Inner London crown court in October, after it had been taken out of use due to flooding
(Picture: Claire Waxman/Twitter)The “appalling” state of Britain’s courts including leaking ceilings, broken heating, sewage and mould is causing delays to trials, a survey of solicitors has found.
A Law Society report, released on Monday, revealed a shocking catalogue of problems within the courts estate, including broken lifts, “grubby” facilities, malfunctioning air conditioning, and buckets on the floor to catch dripping water from ceilings.
The conditions at Snaresbrook crown court are branded “frankly appalling” by one lawyer, while another says Thames magistrates court is “in disrepair”, detailing an incident of sewage in the cells.
Two thirds of the surveyed solicitors said they had experienced delays in cases due to the state of the courts in the last 12 months, with a third of solicitors in London concluding the court buildings are not fit for purpose.
Lawyers also identified a lack of rooms to meet confidentially at Southwark and Isleworth crown courts, and one wrote: “(It) would be easier to name a London court that isn’t a complete disgrace in terms of building.”
The Law Society said disrepair of the physical buildings is hampering efforts to bring down the criminal case backlog, which is currently at more than 62,000 cases.
In the family courts, cases take almost a year on average to be dealt with, with “tens of thousands of people caught in limbo, their lives on hold”, said the body which represents solicitors across England and Wales.
According to the report, just 13 per cent of solicitors agreed “to a large extent” that technology at court was fit for purpose, while 21 per cent concluded it is not at all fit for purpose.
“The poor state of court buildings across England and Wales is both a contributor to the huge backlog of court cases and a stark illustration of the lack of investment in our justice system,” said Lubna Shuja, president of the Law Society.
“Government after government have not only failed to invest in infrastructure but failed to invest in people too – the judges, court staff, solicitors and barristers who keep the wheels of justice turning and have made our justice system the envy of the world.
“Decades of damage cannot be reversed overnight but urgent action can halt this decline before it’s too late.”
In the survey, Central London county court is called “a tired old relic unsuited for purpose – overcrowded and appalling quality”, while Highbury Corner magistrate is “filthy and has not been properly cleaned during or since the pandemic”, says a lawyer.
A solicitor pointed out the “decrepit” annex to Snaresbrook crown court was built as a temporary solution in the 1980s and never removed or replaced, and another commented: “It if rains heavily, Snaresbrook smells of damp”.
Of Thames magistrates court, a lawyer wrote: “The walls are falling in, tiles falling off, the roof leaks. “The consultation rooms are not private and lots of seats are broken. Inside Court 7 is particularly bleak. No air con. Often heating is broken.
“Last year sewage came up into the cells, it took a day for it to be decided to close the cells.”
At Inner London crown court, a lawyer said: “Everything is falling apart. Chairs and floors are held together with gaffer tape. Ceilings leak, toilets leak and fail to flush. Mould everywhere.”
The Law Society is calling for investment in buildings, judges, staff, and reliable technology, increased spending on Legal Aid, and better data collection to identify the worst problems.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Last year we announced the largest funding increase for the justice system in more than a decade, solidifying our commitment to making sure it protects the public and supports victims.
“We’ve digitised a raft of court services since 2016 and are investing £175 million in court maintenance to ensure they are fit for the 21st century. We have also agreed substantial pay increases for criminal solicitors and barristers, with the latter set to earn around £7,000 more a year typically."
