PLANS to scrap two magistrates courts in West Yorkshire - sending more work to Bradford - have been criticised by the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner as an attack on local justice.
Mark Burns-Williamson has written to the Ministry of Justice to oppose plans to close courts in Calderdale and Wakefield. It would see local court services concentrated in Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield.
Mr Burns-Williamson said: “I disagree with these planned closures. Victims and witnesses come first, but by reducing the number of courts available you reduce their access to local justice.
“Going to court can be a difficult experience for victims and witnesses. If the courts in Calderdale and Wakefield close, where would a victim or witness local to those buildings go? A trip to Bradford, Leeds or Huddersfield could be expensive and time consuming and put people off going through the criminal justice system.
“The current court set-up is a sensible one because it mirrors the model of five policing districts used by West Yorkshire Police. By removing the Calderdale and Wakefield courts, there will be some policing districts without a court."
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