NEWPORT Crown Court is set to reopen to hear cases this week, after being assessed as suitable to host socially-distanced hearings.

The court is one of 16 more across England and Wales - Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, which also hears cases from Gwent, is another - to have been assessed and cleared as the justice system gradually emerges from the Covid-19 lockdown.

Cardiff Crown Court reopened for hearings last month.

Newport Crown Court has been closed for more than two months, along with many others across the UK, due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland praised the judiciary and court staff for ensuring that “justice has not stood still” in recent months, as he said that the latest move will give people confidence that justice can “continue to be done in a way that is safe”.

This means that 184 court and tribunal buildings are now open for essential face-to-face hearings, according to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

In echoes of the ‘Nightingale’ hospitals set up to help treat Covid-19 patients, the MoJ said work has started to identify suitable public venues such as civic centres to act as ‘Nightingale’ courts, enabling more work to be carried out, such as full hearings, or allowing victims and witnesses to attend remotely, whilst maintaining social distancing.

Many hearings, where possible, both in the civil and criminal courts, have been conducted remotely since lockdown measures were imposed at the end of March.

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Mr Buckland, who is also the Justice Secretary, said: “Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, court staff and the judiciary have worked tirelessly to make sure justice has not stood still and I’m pleased that we are now in a position to reopen more of our buildings.

“A functioning justice system is one of the hallmarks of a healthy democracy and today’s update will give confidence to people up and down the country that justice can continue to be done in a way that is safe for all court users.”

Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett, the most senior judge in England and Wales, said the move is “a very welcome step towards reopening all our court buildings”.

“A remarkable volume of work has continued throughout the lockdown, much of it being conducted by judges from home,” he said.

“Reopening all of the court estate, using additional accommodation and continuing to use technology imaginatively will enable us to return to and surpass pre-lockdown volumes, helping manage the growing caseload.”

Sir Ernest Ryder, the senior president of tribunals, said the reopening of buildings will allow cases which are not best suited to remote hearings to go ahead.

Jury trials resumed last month, nearly two months after being put on hold due to coronavirus lockdown measures.