Written evidence to be reported to the House

Part of Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 4:45 pm on 16 October 2007.

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Photo of Edward Garnier Edward Garnier Shadow Minister (Justice) 4:45, 16 October 2007

Let me put my cards on the table. I sit as Crown court recorder for four weeks a year. Probably in my four-week stint on at least one occasion somebody will simply not turn up. It is normally on my first Monday when I am feeling particularly friendly. You issue a bench warrant or you make inquiries about the absence of the defendant. The problem is not in the court process; the problem is finding a police officer to bring the man or woman in. There seem to me to be practical policing measures which could probably solve the issue rather than writing additional clauses in a Bill giving you powers to do things which the courts seem to deal with quite sensibly anyhow.