Public pays for judges’ security

Death threats ‘have become common’

Huge sums have been spent onecurity measures at the homes of worried judges. The judiciary faced a barrage of criticism for ruling Parliament must be given a vote before Britain starts formal Brexit talks.

JUDGES HAVE become so fearful for their safety that tens of thousands of pounds of public money has been spent on installing security measures at their homes.

According to Ministry of Justice figures, nearly £25,000 was spent on upgrading security at the homes of four judges between 2014 and 2016.

The figures, which have been published today after being released under the Freedom of Information Act, have emerged after several High Court and Supreme Court judges faced a barrage of criticism for ruling Parliament must be given a vote before Britain starts formal Brexit talks.

In the financial year 2014/15 some £20,918.74 was spent on safety improvements at a judge’s home.

The following year £3,939.93 was spent installing security at the homes of three judges.

Earlier this month, the Judicial Attitude Survey, which is released every two years, found 48 per cent of female judges and 36 per cent of male judges fear for their safety out of court, while 51 per cent of judges fear for their personal safety while in court.

One judge who worked in Britain’s family and civil courts said hostage-taking, physical assaults and death threats have become common.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, she told how a man who had his children taken away from him threatened to kill her and tried to smuggle a knife into her court.

The threats were so severe the police visited her home and spoke to neighbours to ensure she had a safety plan.

She said government cuts have left courts so pared back that judges are routinely left in small rooms with the warring parties with no security or court clerks to protect them.

She added: “The level of threats is getting worse. Incidents are common and the authorities are not even recording them.”

Professor Cheryl Thomas, codirector of the UCL Judicial Institute who co-ordinated the Judicial Attitude Survey, claimed many district judges fear for their safety and concerns had been compounded by cuts in court staff.

She said: “That reflects the nature of the case before those judges, often very emotionally charged, difficult family cases perhaps involving the removal of a child from the family home.

“Also related to this is the increase in litigants in person, as a result of government cuts in legal aid.

“So as we have more and more people who need to go to court to resolve difficult, stressful, emotional family breakdown issues, who may not have access to lawyers to represent them, you have warring parties fighting it out in court.

“And that places much greater security concerns on judges in court.”

The most recent survey revealed the more senior the judge was the more likely they were to be concerned about online abuse.

Some 21 per cent of Court of Appeal judges and 19 per cent of High Court judges expressed concerns – compared to 15 per cent of judges across the board.

Prof Thomas said: “Judges in their day jobs are judges, but they are also normal human beings and they may have Facebook accounts that have nothing to do with their work, and they may think that means that no one can find out anything about them.

“Or they may be completely unaware about the details about them that are simply very easily obtainable by quick internet searches.

“I know there has been some recent work done with those judges to help them understand what kind of information is out there, freely available, about them, whether they wish that to be the case, and if not how to ensure that they have a bit more privacy in terms of their online life.”

The level of threats is getting worse. Incidents are common. Judge speaks on condition of anonymity about the growing threat to safety.