BendigoWeekly www.bendigoweekly.com.au
ISSUE 733 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011
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Coptic crisis – Page 5 ■ Liberal Party State Council comes to Bendigo – Page 7
What’s in a name? Pg 7
The bat is back Emu Valley Cricket Association news Pg 37
b.entertained Eating up the competition Pg 20
Ark in Golden Square Noah’s Ark’s busy premises in Maple Street, Golden Square took its name almost literally this week. To celebrate 40 years supporting children with disabilities, they crowded the yard with ducks and goats, chickens, sheep and even a well-behaved calf.
HAY THERE: Twenty-month-old Miller Connors at the 40th anniversary of Noah’s Ark.
CRIMINAL FULL STORY Page 2
OUT OF ORDER
By ANTHONY RADFORD
ONE of Bendigo’s top police prosecutors has made a damning assessment of the city’s courthouse, labelling it dangerous with archaic facilities. Leading Senior Constable Da-
Photo: ANDREW PERRYMAN
‘Archaic’ law courts ‘dangerous’
vid Somerton has been prosecuting criminals at the Bendigo Law Courts for almost 20 years. In a special column in today’s Bendigo Weekly, Senior Constable Somerton said the courts were suitable for the era they were built – 1896– but not today. “The Bendigo Court does not have a secure way to receive persons in custody,” he said.
“An accused is removed from transportation in full view of the public. “Court Two is the only Magistrates’ Court that can receive persons in custody.” Senior Constable Somerton said his security concerns also went inside the court rooms themselves. “Court Four is a smaller chamber, situated on the Pall Mall side of the
building,” he said. “The witness box is within arm’s length of the prosecutor. Contested cases involving serious assaults have been heard in this room.” Senior Constable Somerton said security issues for police and other corrective service staff extended to the lack of secure facilities. “At this point in time there are no toilet facilities for police who attend
court to perform duty as prosecutors, court security, or merely to attend to give evidence or support victims,” he said. “There is no Prosecutor’s Room set aside for the specific use of police prosecutors on a day-to-day basis. “The Bendigo Magistrates’ Court does not enjoy the same security standards as other metropolitan and regional headquarter courts, such as Geelong and Ballarat.”
Continued Page 2 SPECIAL COLUMN Page 11