IT problems caused a ‘meltdown’ in the operation of the virtual court at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court last month, with the system down for a week, the Gazette has learned.

An IT fault meant that the virtual court system, whereby defendants make their first appearance at the magistrates’ court via video link from the police station, was rendered unusable and defendants had to be taken to court instead. The system is now working again.

Greg Stewart, defence representative on the London implementation committee for the virtual court pilot, said: ‘The whole process went into complete meltdown because of technological problems and the virtual court was suspended.’

He said the problem highlighted flaws in the operation of the scheme and provided more evidence that it was not an appropriate way of dealing with cases.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the virtual court pilot had suffered an ‘isolated IT problem’, but the business continuity plan was invoked to ensure the effective operation of court proceedings.