Police station interview rooms used by defendants in the virtual court pilot are not soundproof and put confidentiality at risk, criminal practitioners have warned.

Bruce Reid, a freelance solicitor-advocate, represented a defendant in custody at Brixton Police Station via the videolink from Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court.

While taking instructions Reid said he and the defendant could hear noise and conversations in the custody area, even though the door to the defendant’s interview room was closed.

‘If we could hear them, they would be able to hear us, and confidentiality cannot be assured,’ said Reid.

‘When you’re present with your client in a room that is not soundproofed you can drop your voice to ensure you are not overheard, but you can’t do that over the videolink.’

Raymond Shaw, chairman of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association, said: ‘If we can’t guarantee client confidentiality throughout the process, it leaves solicitors in an impossible position in terms of taking instructions and advising clients.

‘This is a problem that should have been foreseeable and must be remedied immediately if the pilot is to continue and be extended.’

Fifteen London stations are piloting the virtual court project. Shaw said he had not heard complaints about other stations, but suspected the same problem existed, as the facilities were the same.

Currently defendants can choose whether to appear via the videolink, but the Ministry of Justice plans to make it compulsory. The MoJ anticipated 15,000 cases would be heard during the pilot, but after four months, only around 100 have been.

An MoJ spokeswoman said the interview suite at Brixton was soundproof and meets Metropolitan Police standards, but a test of the videolink would be carried out this week, which solicitors have been invited to attend.