Intrusive security searches of lawyers and others at Stratford Magistrates' Court had prompted serious concerns on the part of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association (LCCSA) and Garden Court Chambers took a decision not to send our pupils to court there, pending further information.
We have subsequently seen a response to the concerns raised by the London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association (LCCSA), which stated:
- All complaints are being properly and promptly investigated;
- That there is additional management oversight of security searches at Stratford Magistrates’ Court;
- The practice of moving Professional Users Access Scheme (PUAS) users to a secluded area for a “pat-down” search will no longer continue;
- The issue of the behaviour of court security officers at this court is now under serious scrutiny at a high level.
Having received this response and given the engagement with the issue by the Court Service, the LCCSA decided it need not recommend that its members refuse to attend. Garden Court Chambers have revised our approach, and are now permitting our pupils to attend Stratford. We shall, of course, keep the situation under review.
