A HUGE open justice project designed to help journalists report from Britain’s criminal courts is being shut down today by the Government.
Courtsdesk helped more than 1,500 reporters from 39 media groups search through magistrates’ court lists and registers to monitor cases.
But the digital platform will close after HM Courts & Tribunal Service ordered every record be deleted over a “data protection issue”.
It was launched in 2020 following an agreement with HMCTS and approval by the Lord Chancellor and ex-Justice Minister Chris Philp.
The move has sparked fears of important cases in the public interest going unheard over listing errors or the press not receiving advance notice.
Courtsdesk founder Enda Leahy claimed they wrote to government agencies 16 times to save the online tool.
He said: “Last week we got our answer.
“It was: we don’t want to talk. The deadline stands.
“If they were interested in open justice, they’d speak to us.
“It’s clear they don’t want to listen.”
