REGARDING Jane Honey's excellent coverage in last week's Times concerning the proposed closure of local magistrates' courts, I agree entirely with the comments of John Burnett, John Montgomery, Peter Hill and Angela Lord.
Indeed, these proposals, if activated, will assuredly represent an unprecedented act of bureaucratic 'vandalism', aided and abetted by government accountants.
The history of magistrates' courts, and the lay magistracy, can be traced back a thousand years and more. They represent justice in its purest and most democratic form, in that it is administered by men and women from all sections of a community to their peers, without fear or favour.
It is a brand of justice based upon that solid, time tested foundation to our legal system — common law — and encompasses, strongly, the concept of 'fair play'. It is there for all members of the community to witness and to scrutinise — justice 'seen to be done'.
Destroy rural and local courts, then these basic principles of English justice will be, inevitably, severely weakened, if not eliminated. Thus our legal system and administration will be devalued to the detriment of all in our society
Ted Sherrell
60 Whitchurch Road
Tavistock