Junkies shoot up in court building

An investigation by The Argus reveals addicts are injecting themselves as magistrates sit in judgment just feet away.

Needles are discarded in the public toilets of Brighton Magistrates Court.

Recently, a stash of heroin was found in a toilet cistern.

Yet court security officers who catch users administering drugs have their hands tied.

Staff do not have power to apprehend offenders beyond the public's right to make a citizen's arrest. They can only ask them to leave the building.

A source at the court has told The Argus they fear the drug usage is spiralling out of control.

They criticised security at what is one of the busiest magistrates courts in the South-East, labelling it slacker than in a supermarket.

Although metal detectors are in place at the family court nearby, there are none at the magistrates court.

Staff are allowed to check bags but are barred from carrying out body searches.

Yet so much drugs paraphernalia, including spoons and tin cans, has been found within the court precincts, staff have been issued with storage boxes.

In one incident, someone unscrewed the top of a water fountain and placed a needle inside with the sharp end pointing up.

A cleaner spotted it before it could cause harm.

In another incident, a tin containing heroin, needles and weighing scales was discovered in a toilet cistern.

Our source said: "The druggies go to the toilets, inject themselves and leave the needles without the cap on.

"If a member of security approaches them, they can get very aggressive - especially if they're on a high. It is just a matter of time before a member of staff gets a jab in the arm and then has to spend months worrying if they've been infected with HIV or something.

"There might be no needles for weeks at a time but then all of a sudden there is a whole batch.

"During the past few months threatening behaviour seems to have got more common and all of it is drug-related.

"The police come quickly if the alarms are pressed but by then the offenders have long gone and the drugs are flushed down the toilet.

"A lot of respectable people have to attend court for a variety of reasons - it is a public place.

Maybe someone up for a motoring offence brings their little girl with them who wants to use the toilets. A child could easily get stabbed by a needle left lying around.

"The security people do not feel they are getting enough protection.

"When they see what these drug users are doing they want to be able to handcuff them, arrest them and keep them there until the police arrive.

"But they haven't the power to do that - even though they are on the front line."

Victoria Wallace, the magistrates' chief executive, said: "Obviously there is a drug problem in Brighton city as a whole. Our staff do what they can within the court.

"We can't have CCTV in the lavatories by law, so there is a fundamental problem there.

"We don't have the right to carry out body searches on people coming into court but staff carry out searches to the best of their ability and regularly patrol the building.

"I am not aware of any drugs being found.

"Yes, there is a problem and we cannot prevent needles from passing into the court building but I imagine this is a problem for every public building in the county.

"Metal detectors would not alert staff to the presence of needles. But the Lord Chancellor is currently considering requests for detectors to be introduced in all court buildings and that is something we would certainly like to introduce as soon as possible.

"I'm aware of the security concerns of all our staff. Effectively a lot of our court users are people who break the law so our security staff are given suitable training and as much protection as possible."

Brighton Police confirmed heroin had been found in the toilet cistern but said they had received no reports of drug use within the building.

A spokeswoman said: "That doesn't mean it isn't happening. If there is a problem it is up to the court how it deals with it.

"But we are always happy to work with the courts to find ways to make it harder for drug users, such as installing blue bulbs or CCTV in the toilets.

"I don't know why the court says CCTV cannot legally be installed in the toilets, possibly it believes it is a human rights issue. But what about all the clubs that have cameras in their toilets? A lot of shops in the city also have CCTV in their changing rooms.

"Our advice to clubs that have it is to put up signs to make people aware and it may act as a deterrent."

Councillor Peter Willows said he was appalled.

The Tory member for Hangleton ward in Hove called for the rules to be changed to allow security staff the power to apprehend drug users caught in the act.

He said: "It is absolutely scandalous how these people can use the waiting rooms then go to the wash room, inject themselves and leave their needles, while the security officers can go in there and see - yet can do nothing but ask them to leave.

"It's disgusting these people are allowed to carry on as they wish, so close to police headquarters and while the magistrates are only feet away.

"They are thumbing their noses at the law. The security officers should be allowed to grab these guys and hold on to them until the police arrive.

"These needles could pose a real safety risk to members of the public. Surely they have the right to be protected in a court of law of all places.

"It's well past the time we did something about this sort of thing."

The head of security at Brighton Magistrates Court said he was aware of the issues raised but referred all inquiries to Mrs Wallace, saying he was unable to comment.