Asbestos and rotting seagulls: survey lays bare state of courts

Asbestos, mould, rotten seagulls and cells flooding with excrement are among the problems experienced in crumbling courts in England and Wales, the Law Society has found.

- Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent

The professional body for solicitors said deteriorating buildings and unreliable technology were contributing to the record backlog in crown courts and undermining confidence and trust in the justice system.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents to the Law Society survey reported experiencing delays in cases being heard in the past 12 months because of the state of the courts. Some cases were adjourned, others moved online or transferred to different venues.

One respondent in South Shields, South Tyneside, said: “The court had to close early for two days within the last 12 months or so. This was because dead and rotting seagulls were within the roof insulation. The court had to close because maggots were literally raining down on to the lobby.”