THE Ministry of Justice has announced that it will be closing more than half of the Nightingale Courts set up across the country at the start of the pandemic – and one of them is in Middlesbrough.

Temporary courts were opened in sports arenas, hotels and conference centres to provide more space for jury trials  while social distancing was in place.

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The courts were also opened to manage the backlog of cases which was much worse after Covid hit.

However, 11 Nightingale Courts, almost half, are set to close across the country within weeks.

Justice Minister, James Cartlidge, said that despite the closures, Nightingale Courts “continue to be a valued weapon in the fight against the pandemic’s unprecedented impact on our court rooms.”

He added: “Combined with other measures – such as removing the cap on Crown Court sitting days, more use of remote hearings, and increasing magistrate sentencing powers – we are beginning to see the backlog drop so victims can get the speedier justice they deserve.”

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Middlesbrough’s Jury’s Inn Hotel, is set to be one of those that closes its doors along with others in Peterborough, London, Nottingham, Warwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Bolton, Chester and Winchester.

According tot he Ministry of Justice, the sites that are closing are not needed as HMCTS has re-opened existing hearing rooms as social distancing measures have eased.

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