Judges forced to make their own sandwiches and do the washing up

Judicial guests have been told to bring their own lunch and thermoses due to the lack of facilities. Photo / Thinkstock

British judges don pink rubber dish gloves and chew morosely on sandwiches after deep cuts to the catering budget

British judges have been forced to bring in their own packed lunches and even wash up after themselves after deep cuts to the catering budget.

More than 600 circuit judges now suffer the ignominy of making their own sandwiches after the end of a 1.3 million pound (NZ$2.7 million) national contact which provided hospitality for 60 crown courts.

The move has thrown the system into chaos, according to an opposition MP, and fears have been raised about the "accidental contamination" of jurors who might have to queue for food in the same place as defendants and witnesses.

One circuit judge told The Times newspaper: "Some of us think this has all been outrageous. If you were to go to an NHS hospital as a patient, you would be fed.

"However, if you are a defendant or a juror and thus compelled to attend court, you find that in some courts there are no facilities whatsoever."

A contract between the Courts Service and Compass Group-owned catering company Eurest ended in August and is expected to force the closure of more than 30 cafes.

Shadow justice minister Sadiq Khan branded the situation as "unacceptable" and said it showed the chaos at the heart of the Ministry of Justice.

Oxford Crown Court's top judge Gordon Risius also warned of the dangers of jurors and defendants being near each other if they all popped off to nearby cafes and shops at lunchtime.

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service said it had advertised for new contacts in England and Wales, but they would be without government subsidy because of the need to "deliver savings".

There are plans to convert any redundant kitchens and dining rooms into small courtrooms.

Judges chew morosely on sandwiches

In Winchester the dining room has now been turned into a kitchen, and a district judge has been spotted wearing pink rubber gloves doing the washing up.

Gary Slapper, the director of New York University London, and a law professor, said: "Recently I was invited to sit with a judge at a large court centre and to my surprise I was asked to bring a packed lunch and a Thermos flask as there were no facilities there.

"At lunchtime, all the judges assembled in a small room and rather morosely chewed on homemade ham sandwiches and Penguin bars, and sucked juices from small cartons.

"I was teased for being elitist because I had come with Marks and Spencer sandwiches and a mango smoothie."

Even High Court judges are affected when they travel out on circuit for big cases.

They stay in "judges' lodgings", where waiter service survives, but Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling has ended their Sky TV subscription.

An HM Courts and Tribunals Service spokesperson said: "HM Courts and Tribunals Service's national contract with Eurest for the provision of on-site catering services in Crown Courts expired on 31 August 2014.

"HM Courts and Tribunals Service has considered bids from national, regional and local companies to provide services after that date, with a view to getting best value for money.

"Approximately half of the Crown courts will have new contracts for on-site catering, a small number of which are still being negotiated.

"Those courts without on-site catering will be in locations where there is access to shops, cafes and restaurants nearby. These courts will also be provided with vending machines to supply hot and cold drinks, and light snacks."

A spokeswoman for the Courts Service said: "As well as having access to the same facilities as other court users, judges have access to a separate dining area and kitchenette, where requested, at every Crown court."

- Daily Mail