A PROMINENT lawyer has warned that Mid Sussex could be thrown into a state of lawless anarchy if the Lord Chancellor goes ahead with plans to close a busy district court.

Burgess Hill solicitor Tom Fitzpatrick was speaking at a public meeting last night to debate the closure of Haywards Heath County Court.

He told an audience of about 100 people at the town hall how the move, if it goes ahead, would deny justice to people living in the district.

He argued closure would mean Mid Sussex's 100,000 population waiting longer for cases to be heard, and travelling further to attend them.

The increasing frustration, he warned, would force people to take the law into their own hands.

He said: "It will interfere with social cohesion.

"It is quite outrageous that a district of this size should have no civil court at all.

"Justice must be next door to people. It can't be distant.

"Take the courts away from the people and you take justice and civilised behaviour.

"You create anarchy. This is an anarchic step."

He added that any cost savings in closing the court would be lost in the cost of extra police and more probation officers.

He said: "Social difficulties are going to result. The physical hurt on communities will be borne by us."

His speech brought a rousing ovation from the audience, which was overwhelmingly opposed to closure.

The meeting was attended by Judge Michael Kennedy, district judge John Robinson and legal service union chiefs.

Also there was Barry Macbeth, group manager of the court services in Lewes, who recommended Haywards Heath County Court to the Lord Chancellor as a possible closure target.

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