Tragedy 'inevitable' at family court in Christchurch's new justice precinct
The atrium in Christchurch's justice and emergency services precinct, where family court cases are heard on the third floor.
A recent incident at Christchurch's Family Court highlights the risk of tragedy arising from the design of the city's new courthouse, lawyers say.
Waiting areas around family courtrooms at the city's $300 million new justice and emergency services precinct have balconies with a three-storey drop to the ground-floor atrium below.
Grant Tyrrell, vice-president of the New Zealand Law Society's Canterbury-Westland branch, said the glass balustrades were high enough to prevent an accidental fall. However a person could easily hurl someone over the top, he said.
Since the precinct opened last year lawyers had been concerned at the risk, in a court area where people can be in states of heightened emotion, agitated or distressed, or affected by drugs, Tyrrell said.
The air bridge inside the new justice precinct has a three-storey drop to the ground-floor atrium below.
READ MORE:
* Christchurch's justice precinct 'opens' a month before it is expected to be operating
* Justice and emergency services precinct delayed again
* Justice precinct to cost Fletcher Building $100m extra, says Nicky Wagner
"If anyone went over the edge down onto the hard floor, it would be very messy. The Family Court deals with people at their most vulnerable. They may have just had their child taken away from them, there could be domestic violence or self harm."
The Family Court handles matters including care of children, domestic violence, separation agreements and protection orders.
Barrister Carolyn Browne said several weeks ago a man "came out of the court in an agitated state and said he was going to jump over".
A registrar who had followed the man out of the courtroom spoke to him while Browne went down to a lower level to find a security staff member, she said. The man later left safely.
The view from the atrium.
"They have increased security since then, but it's a concern because is so open at the top. There's a handrail you could use get a foot up, and it's a very long way down," Browne said.
Melissa Gill, the Ministry of Justice's general manager of health, safety and security, said the balustrades were 1.4 metres high which exceeded the 1.1m building code requirement for public buildings.
Gill said security staff undertook regular patrols and responded to specific incidents when necessary.
The ministry did not comment on specific security incidents and individuals, but there had been no incidents where anyone had needed to be restrained by staff, she said.
Courtrooms are on several levels in the new precinct.
Tyrrell said most experienced family court lawyers had heard a client say of their children "if I cannot have them, no-one should have them".
"It only has to happen once. There's potential for harm and it could be very serious."
He said ironically, the complex's cafe has no toastie machine in case someone hurt themselves.
Another barrister who works in the family courts, but did not want to be named, said the set up was "an accident waiting to happen".
The justice and emergency services precinct opened last year.
"I fear there will be some tragedy, it is inevitable, and they will form a working group but it will be too late.
"It all looks very attractive, but what they forget is that [the barriers] are not very high and there are some pretty stressed people that attend family court.
"You see some upset people coming out of the family court after getting a bad decision, people on various drugs or having a mental interlude."
- Stuff
Comments