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because the facilities do not comply with current legislation in terms of holding prisoners, waiting areas and interview facilities for probation officers,? he said.

?There is also a security issue at the council offices and on top of this the workload does not justify keeping it open ? this is mainly due to the low crime level in Okehampton.?

He said this latest shake-up of the court system included looking at combining facilities in areas to keep the costs down and make them more efficient, and any proposals in Okehampton would be looked at.

?It is not a fait accompli ? this proposal will be considered after a full consultation exercise where every opinion will be listened to. We have to strike a balance between accessibility and the appropriate use of public resources.?

Mr Hutley said since relocating criminal cases to Exeter, he had not heard of any defendants not turning up because of difficulties with transport.

?We are suggesting a flexible option of listings where defendants can have their cases heard at Exeter or Launceston and special times will be given to people who have to rely on public transport.?

Although several courts have been closed in Devon and Cornwall over the past two years, the area is in the top ten per cent in the country for dealing with defendants within one hour.