TAVISTOCK Magistrates' Court is to be axed along with eight others in Devon and Cornwall in a cost-cutting exercise by the Government.

But the annual £7,000 it costs to run the court was described this week as 'peanuts' by MP for West Devon and Torridge John Burnett who headed a campaign to keep a court in the town.

'It is a ludicrous sacrifice for such a small sum of money,' he told the Times.

Former chairman of the West Devon bench, John Montgomery, said he felt totally let down by the Devon and Cornwall Magistrates' Courts Committee which carried out a consultation following the proposals in January to axe 12 out of 25 courthouses in the two counties.

'They didn't have the decency to look at our alternative suggestion of a venue which was the council chamber at the borough council offices in Tavistock,' he said

He added that West Devon had won 'a bit of the battle'.

'The MCC did take some notice of local feeling and Okehampton has been reprieved,' he said.

The closure at the end of the year means court users — defendants, witnesses, lawyers and social services — will face a 30-mile round trip from Tavistock to Plymouth and back.

Robert Hutley, the MCC's chief executive, said the age of some of the buildings and efficiency savings had forced the decision.

Tavistock's court is Victorian and would need a massive injection of cash to update it to modern standards. It sits most weeks and has 19 magistrates who also sit at Okehampton court which has been given a 12-month reprieve.

However, there is a possibility that Devon County Council may appeal against the decision to close Tavistock and Bideford courts — leader Brian Greenslade told Mr Burnett he would be recommending the move to the full council.

Mr Burnett said: 'I am bitterly disappointed that Devon and Cornwall magistrates' committee has decided to close Tavistock but this is not the end of the matter.

'I am in touch with Devon County Council and hope, in due course, it will be appealing against the closure which will give me a chance to speak to the minister and make a case to keep the court open.'

The Liberal Democrat MP said there were 'many compelling reasons' to keep the Tavistock court open

He said: 'First and foremost, the closure will effectively deny justice to a number of people. There has to be accessibility to justice.

'Tavistock serves a huge hinterland with poor roads and poor public transport. There are significant difficulties with getting to Plymouth for witnesses and other court users.

'Secondly, it is entirely false economy and, while there might be some savings to the Lord Chancellor's department, these will be outweighed by expenses for court users travelling to Okehampton or Plymouth.

'We have a high calibre of magistrates here in Tavistock who also work with Plymouth and its overflow.'

Mr Burnett said Jane Kennedy, Minister for the Lord Chancellor's department, told him she believed justice should be carried out locally.

'If this is what they believe, then closing the court is a denial and complete contradiction.'

Tavistock Court is owned by the Police who would have to decide what to do with the building once the court is axed.

Chief Inspector Chris Amos, district commander for West Devon, said: 'We have been waiting to see what the decision was and will now have to look at all options for the future of the building.'