PLANS to shut down courts will lead to “inevitable” job losses and cripple an “already overloaded” justice system, senior lawyers have claimed.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) proposals could see three Sussex courts closed in a bid to sell off 91 buildings and save millions of pounds.

Chichester Combined Court (Crown and County), Chichester Magistrates’ Court, Eastbourne Magistrates’ Court, County Court and Family Court, would all shut if the Lord Chancellor approves the plan later this year.

Nearby courts in Brighton, Hove and Lewes would be expected to take on the extra caseload, which the MoJ claims is feasible.

It would leave the whole of West Sussex without a crown court.

While no job cuts have been confirmed so far, Rodney Warren, senior partner of Warren’s Law and Advocacy in Eastbourne, said it would be an “inevitable” result of the plans, which he claimed were “only the tip of the iceberg”.

He said: “Courts are already overloaded due to inefficiency a lack of staff caused by cuts.

“There is no concept at all of the difficulties of travelling in Sussex. There is virtually no motorway and public transport is extraordinarily slow. "Families with children, mothers, will have to travel miles if they need to get to court.

“This will not just affect defendants, it will affect juries, family court proceedings, victims, relatives, staff and witnesses.

“The irony is the custody centre will continue to be used in Eastbourne – so defendants will be taken there before being transported elsewhere to go to court.”

Mr Warren, also the county member for the Law Society, said it was “frightening” that in the age of austerity the government was leaving smaller departments like the MoJ to take the pain.

He added: “The MoJ budget has halved since 2010 while the overseas aid budget has trebled. As a consequence the cost of the justice system has been huge.

"By and large people don’t come into contact with it but when it is needed it will not be accessible.”

He dismissed a public consultation, which closes at the end of today (October 8), as “smoke and mirrors” and claimed it was “simply advance warning of the intention”.

The government said the plan would save £62 million a year in running costs and raise £30 million by selling off the buildings. A report will be published before a final decision is made.

In a written statement, parliamentary under-secretary of state for courts and legal aid, Shailesh Vara, said: "The buildings being consulted on represent 16% of hearing rooms across the estate which are, on average, used for only a third of their available time."

To respond to the questionnaire, download a copy here and email estatesconsultation@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk by the end of today (October 8).