York court move fury

Court One at the Clifford Street site will shut for three weeks from March 8.

The building's three remaining courts will stay open for the bulk of that period, but do not have suitable custody facilities.

So officials have decided overnight prisoners' cases will be heard in Selby - leaving York solicitors with a 30-mile round trip and taxpayers footing extra travel expense bills.

York solicitor Sandra Keen warned the decision to split bail and custody cases between the two venues would cause problems.

She said: "We are going to have custody cases in Selby and bailed defendants in York.

"This is going to cause the legal profession considerable difficulties."

But a court official told the Evening Press there was no other solution while up to £30,000 repairs are carried out at the ageing courthouse, now more than 100 years old.

Gordon Lees, justices' clerk for North Yorkshire, said: "It's certainly going to be inconvenient for everybody and we apologise to anyone affected.

"But this is essential work that is long overdue at a building expensive to maintain.

"I'm not sure what else we could do. I'd be interested to hear from anyone with alternative views."

Mr Lees said structural repairs were badly needed at the top corner of Court One, where walls were visibly crumbling.

Plastering to plug leaky gaps, a new air conditioning unit and refurbishment of the dome-shaped "lantern light" ceiling was also planned.

Mr Lees said it was "ludicrous" to suggest the court could sit while repairs were carried out.

He also revealed that "long overdue" staff training would be taking place in the third week of repairs - effectively closing all four courtrooms and leaving a skeleton service.

Cases will be relocated across the county amid a huge re-organisation of court time. "It's going to be a messy period," Mr Lees admitted.

"We're all looking forward to April."

Updated: 12:08 Saturday, February 14, 2004