A LEADING West Devon magistrate has slammed the handling of proposals to axe Tavistock's court as 'amoral'.

Pat Alexander claims Devon and Cornwall Magistrates' Courts Committee is 'moving the goalposts' ahead of an impending appeal against the closure.

Her attack follows a telephone call from a North Devon clerk, who said Miss Alexander would be required to work in Plymouth from the beginning of next year.

She said this was the first she was told of a decision to change the West Devon petty sessional area before the county council appeal against closure of Tavistock Magistrates' Court has been heard.

Miss Alexander said: 'I had an inkling but the first time I knew it was going to happen was when I had this phone call — we have never had anything in writing. It's all been hearsay and it even seems to be contradictory to different magistrates.

'I am very concerned the goalposts are being moved before the appeal has been held.

'We feel very strongly that nothing should be done until that appeal has been upheld or dismissed.'

Miss Alexander said it was 'very short-sighted' not to involve magistrates, whom she claimed were kept 'totally in the dark'.

'It is amoral. It's causing endless confusion and rumours, and we and the public deserve better.'

She said as a result of the changes, the bulk of West Devon's cases would be administered from Plymouth, leaving a smaller proportion to be dealt with at Okehampton Magistrates' Court.

'It obviously will affect their workload — there is definitely a hidden agenda here,' she said.

'One has this sense of unease about the way things are being handled. I think the indecent haste is worrying me a little, too.'

She said she was not prepared to serve as a magistrate in Plymouth — and urged people to 'wake up' and fight for Tavistock's court.

Peter Hill, chairman of West Devon bench, said: 'I find it back to front, I must admit. I would have thought they would have sorted out the closures before the petty sessional areas.

'It's difficult to judge, there's a lot of smoke about. I can understand her feeling upset.'

John Burnett, MP for West Devon and Torridge, said: 'I am surprised the MCC has taken it upon themselves to jump the gun — things are not over, there is a lot to do yet.'

Mr Burnett said the appeal process had only just started and before its conclusion, he would 'most forcefully' put the 'compelling' case for retaining Tavistock's court at a private meeting with the minister, Jane Kennedy.

'Rest assured she will know only too clearly the importance of Tavistock's court — you just can't keep taking things away from rural areas,' Mr Burnett said.

But Robert Hutley, justices' chief executive in charge of the review, denied goal posts were being moved — he said benches were consulted over Petty Sessions Areas boundaries directly and through their clerks.

'How benches are organised and where justices actually sit are two different issues,' he said.

It was 'just not true' that magistrates were being kept in the dark.

'I can accept there might be difficulties internally with bench consultation, but she only has to pick up the phone and say "I am not happy",' he said.

'Everyone has been consulted — she hasn't contacted me.

'I don't think we could have managed a more inclusive and thorough consultation process over the whole business of the future of the magistrates' courts.'

The cost-cutting decision to close Tavistock Magistrates' Court came this spring — Okehampton's court, which also faced closure, has been given a one-year reprieve.