Cellphone incident involving Crown Prosecutor a serious issue

An incident involving a Crown Prosecutor in the main Nelson courtroom was a very serious breach of courtroom security, the New Zealand Law Society says.

A Crown Prosecutor reportedly received concussion when a member of the public gallery allegedly threw a cellphone at her head during a bail hearing. The phone broke on impact and the lawyer has been off work since the incident, which happened on Monday.

“The Law Society extends its fullest sympathy and support to the lawyer involved. We wish her well as she recovers,” New Zealand Law Society Vice-President, Wellington and Courthouse Committee member Mark Wilton says.

“The freedom of lawyers to appear in court and to participate in our justice system without the fear that they will be assaulted or injured is extremely important.

“We do not blame court security staff, who we know carry out an important and demanding job well. However, any serious incident such as this must be followed with a comprehensive reassessment of security levels and measures. The Law Society believes such a review is appropriate and would welcome the opportunity to be involved.”

ENDS

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