Court system ‘creaks’, says former chief constable

8:00pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

“FRUSTRATING” Sir Paul Stephenson “FRUSTRATING” Sir Paul Stephenson

BACUP-born former Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, has described the court system as ‘slow, bureaucratic and hugely frustrating’.

The former Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School pupil, who was Lancashire’s Chief Constable from 2002 to 2005, spent a day at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, in central London, to see how it was working.

Afterwards, he told the Sunday Telegraph: “Despite improvements, the system is still chaotic on occasions and still bureaucratic. It creaks.”

Sir Paul reisgned as Britain’s top cop last July amid the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

He then took up a crisis management advisory role for Keyhaven, part of communications group King Worldwide.

Comments (7)

8:47pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Marsdogs says...

I'm surprised he had to spend a day in court in order to reach this conclusion.
I'm surprised he had to spend a day in court in order to reach this conclusion. Marsdogs

10:12pm Thu 20 Sep 12

prince of darkness says...

Time to move with the times have evening & night courts like USA. Clear all the backlogs, then justice is quicker takes months or years to get a Court date. They did it for the riots so its not a new idea.
Time to move with the times have evening & night courts like USA. Clear all the backlogs, then justice is quicker takes months or years to get a Court date. They did it for the riots so its not a new idea. prince of darkness

10:26pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Common_Sense1 says...

Nice to know he has a cushy well paid job on top of his pension. You'd think after over 30 years in the job he'd know exactly how slow the courts were without having to spend a day there!
Nice to know he has a cushy well paid job on top of his pension. You'd think after over 30 years in the job he'd know exactly how slow the courts were without having to spend a day there! Common_Sense1

11:14pm Thu 20 Sep 12

goz says...

i thought he was describing the police service!!!
i thought he was describing the police service!!! goz

8:47am Fri 21 Sep 12

happycyclist says...

His comments would have carried more clout if he'd said them whilst he was serving Met Commissioner.
His comments would have carried more clout if he'd said them whilst he was serving Met Commissioner. happycyclist

9:47am Fri 21 Sep 12

darwenTower says...

happycyclist wrote:
His comments would have carried more clout if he'd said them whilst he was serving Met Commissioner.
Yeah, but it's best to rock the boat from dry land.
[quote][p][bold]happycyclist[/bold] wrote: His comments would have carried more clout if he'd said them whilst he was serving Met Commissioner.[/p][/quote]Yeah, but it's best to rock the boat from dry land. darwenTower

10:59am Fri 21 Sep 12

makaveli96 says...

Couldnt agree more Mr Stephenson!

Lets get back to basics!

1) Court case
2) Not Guilty = release
3) Guilty = removal

No need for prisons, fast justice and lower costs!
Couldnt agree more Mr Stephenson! Lets get back to basics! 1) Court case 2) Not Guilty = release 3) Guilty = removal No need for prisons, fast justice and lower costs! makaveli96

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