No more pat-downs in Stratford

In May, a duty solicitor was pinned to the ground by security officers, prompting the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA) to call for the officers to be suspended. Solicitors have also complained of ‘invasive’ body searches.

LCCSA said it received a letter last week from HM Courts and Tribunal Service, confirming visitors with Professional User Access Scheme (PUAS) cards will not be subject to ‘enhanced’ searches, from 28 May.

‘This means that PUAS members should no longer be subjected to pat-down searches and required to remove their shoes,’ LCCSA’s committee confirmed.