Omagh courthouse cells ‘not fit for purpose’

WORK is underway in a bid to resolve an issue with damp affecting the custody suite in Omagh courthouse, it has been revealed.

The cells at the landmark building in the town centre were found to be not fit for purpose after an inspection was carried out by the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJNI).

The ongoing issue with damp was put down to the age of the building and, according to the report, may not be able to be fixed.

The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service has confirmed to the UH that maintenenace work at the local courthouse is “already underway”.

An NICTS spokesperson said, “Remedial maintenance works to the custody suite at Omagh courthouse are already underway, and programmed for completion within the next six weeks.”

Chief Inspector Jacqui Durkin, of the CJNI, said that, while some courthouses in the North provide suitable layouts, with sufficient cells of a reasonable size and in a good state of repair, others suffered a range of problems, including a lack of natural light, ventilation or running water, cramped conditions and poor staff facilities.

“Inspectors acknowledge the significant investment made by the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) in funding modernisation programmes, but some of the courthouses in use today are centuries-old and were built in an era when the standards of accommodation for holding people accused of criminal offences were very different,” said Ms Durkin.

She added, “We have recommended that an assessment of current court custody facilities and areas for escorting detainees is undertaken against the expectations and indicators used by inspectors to carry out this inspection to ensure the current court custody estate is fit for purpose.”