VICTORY could be in sight for campaigners fighting to keep Trowbridge Magistrates Court open, a campaign which has been supported by the Wiltshire Times.

The Lord Chancellor's secretary, Michael Wills, admitted in a parliamentary debate on Wednesday night, May 14, that he was considering Wiltshire County Council's appeal to save the threatened court.

In an adjournment debate, the minister discussed the case put by Wiltshire Magistrates Court Committee to close the courthouses in Devizes and Trowbridge.

West Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison pointed out the transport problems court users would face

if the Trowbridge court closed and they were forced to travel to Chippenham instead.

He said: "The fact is that our magistracy is to be packed off to vast justice

factories in the large urban areas. I think justice is best dispensed locally by people who understand the context in which crime has been committed and in which any sentence handed down will be served."

Dr Murrison is expecting to meet the Minister privately next week to discuss possible solutions to the problem.

The minister has already told Dr Murrison that decisions made by Magistrates Court Committees (MCCs) have been overturned where access for people in rural areas could become more difficult.

The MCCs have to demonstrate that they have taken this problem called rural proofing into account when making their decision.

Mr Wills says: "At least one closure has been changed as a result of rural proofing. The overall level of magistrates' court closures remains an area of concern."

The petition, urging government ministers to save the Trowbridge courthouse, will be presented to the House of Commons by Dr Murrison. It has been signed by more than 2,000 people and has been backed by Trowbridge mayor Jeff Osborn and county councillor Tony Moore.

They took to the streets last month, gathering signatures to support their campaign.

The crusade was given even more support in March, when Trowbridge magistrate, Brian Wade, resigned in protest at the closure of the court.

Mr Wade, who has sat on the bench for 20 years, also quit the Magistrates Court Committee, which made the decision.

Mr Wade said: "I feel the people of the five towns and the villages of west Wiltshire should have a local court."