End of an era as Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Courts closes down after 440 years dispensing justice

Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court (Image: Archant)

The court, based at the listed Shire Hall on the edge of the Abbey Gardens, has fallen victim to radical cuts by the Ministry of Justice – which has axed two of Suffolk’s three courts despite vocal opposition from the community.

With Lowestoft Magistrates’ Court shut earlier this week, only Ipswich Magistrates’ Court remains open to serve the whole of our rural county.

Almost every part of the legal and policing community across the region have remained vehemently opposed to the plans, but the pain of closure was far more acute in Bury.

“It is a sad, sad, state of affairs,” said Lyndon Davies, from Oslers Solicitors. “I have been coming here for 10 years. This building has character, it has history. It is a proper court building. Yes it has its idiosyncrasies, but everyone is prepared to put up with them because it is a historic building.”

Mr Davies said the building was a symbol for justice in west Suffolk, adding there are serious concerns for access to justice for victims, defendants and witnesses, regardless of any emotional attachment to the building.

“Access to justice is being harmed,” he said. “If someone needs to get to court from Haverhill or other rural areas for 9.30am, it will not be easy. By public transport it takes several hours, and even if they can drive, the cost is still significant.”

His sentiment was backed by many solicitors and court staff, who had come to the court on its final day to say their goodbyes.

Fran Lewis has been a probation officer based at the Bury court for 14 years. She said: “It’s very sad. It feels like a closure on local justice, not just a closure on the court.

“It is very upsetting. If you live in a small village, relying on public transport is going to make accessing court incredibly difficult.”

Malcolm Plummer, from ACT Solicitors, has served as duty solicitor for the court for around 20 years.

Yesterday he became the last defence solicitor to represent a client at the court. “It is sad,” he said. “It is not just the building, we have the kindest court staff here as well. A visiting barrister came down just yesterday and commented on how nice the court was – we had to tell them that is all very well, but they are closing it down tomorrow.”

Many of the staff will not be transferring to Ipswich when it closes and there are also concerns magistrates from the west Suffolk area, who all volunteer, may soon stop giving up their time. When the planned closures were announced around a year go, the East Anglian Daily Times launched the Justice for Suffolk campaign to fight the proposals.

This campaign was backed by Suffolk Constabulary, Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore, the then High Sheriff Judith Shallow, the Law Society, St Edmundsbury Borough Council leader John Griffiths and many more.

Serious concerns were also raised by the local magistrates’ bench, chaired by Susan Hughes. Mrs Hughes, who chaired the last ever court to sit at Bury magistrates’ yesterday, was prevented from talking to the press on the advice of a legal representative at the court.

However, after handing down the court’s last ever sentence, she thanked everyone involved in the local justice system over the years.

“It does seem like this really is the end of an era,” she said. “440 years of justice being dispensed from a building on this site. We now look forward to the future, whatever it holds.”

After urging everyone in the legal community to continue to work hard to protect justice in Suffolk, she said: “It will be a hard act to follow.”

A full report with more reaction and a look at what happens now can be found in today’s (October 6) EADT