Londonderry: Sex abuse victims 'distressed' at Crown Court location

A charity which represents victims of sexual abuse has criticised a decision not to fix a date for the return of Crown Court cases to Londonderry.

Trials have been held in Coleraine since 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

The Northern Ireland Court Service has said it will only bring Crown Court business back to Bishop Street Courthouse "when it is safe to do so".

However, Joanne Barnes, chair of Nexus, said the decision could have implications for victims.

The Northern Ireland Court and Tribunal Service (NICTS) said the reason to relocate in 2020 was the "requirement for social distancing and structural issues inhibiting the ability to modify courtroom layouts".

Most Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland were eased in February, but social distancing requirements remain in courthouses, NICTS said.

Nexus said the distance to the court "could deter victims from coming forward".

"Quite often people will have to travel on public transport, and victims and perpetrators could be travelling on the same public transport," said Joanne Barnes.

"This can all be very intimidating for a victim who is already going through all the distress and trauma to get justice."

Ms Barnes said there is also "considerable inconvenience of additional travel and cost" which, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, could also further deter victims from going through the court process.

"As an organisation, we at Nexus consistently call for our judicial processes to be victim led in order to minimise distress and barriers to reporting," she said.

"The continued closure of the Crown Court in Londonderry or Derry is really adding to further barriers for victims in the reporting process and enabling them to get justice."

Court reporter Eamonn McDermott told BBC Radio Foyle that there was a fear Crown Court sittings would not return to Derry.

"Firstly they closed all courts, kept all members of the public out and everything was done remotely," he said.

"Then to get the Crown Court back up and running again they decided to move it to Coleraine because there is more space for social distancing, for juries. There wasn't that space in the court in Bishop Street.

"The court service is still enforcing socially distancing - even though nowhere else really else is - so the concern is when Derry loses any sort of service, it's difficult to get it back to the city."

In a statement, the NICTS has said: "Post-Covid, it is our intention is to bring Crown Court business back to Bishop Street Courthouse when it is safe to do so.

"Following the announcement by the minister for health moving Covid restrictions from legislation into guidance, the NICTS continues to implement 2m social distancing throughout its estate and other mitigating measures in line with the public health risk guidance."

It said it remained committed to ensure the best use of the court venue in the interim period and added that it will notify all court users of any changes in practice as soon as they happen.