FREEZING rooms in winter, hypodermic needles in the car park and a wooden leg launched at magistrates.

Those were just some of the many memories officials at Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court shared when the building was closed for the final time on Friday (JAN 27) after more than a century.

Over the years the number of county courts has dwindled to just two - Weymouth and Poole, the latter of which will now be the new home of Bournemouth cases. Of the many instances, both happy and sad, remembered at Friday’s gathering was an incident involving a prosthetic leg.

Former clerk Rachel Davies told the Daily Echo that a man was sentenced by magistrates and soon a scuffle broke out in the dock.

This preceded when the docks were encased in glass. The convicted man in question had unclipped his wooden leg and threw it in anger. No one was hurt in the incident.

“Thankfully the magistrates decided not to go ahead with contempt,” Ms Davies said. “It was quite sad.”

District Judge Stephen Nichols thanked prosecutors past and present, as well as the many ushers which was applauded by the scores of people who turned out.

He also wished Dorset Coroner Sheriff Payne well on his forthcoming retirement. The coroners’ office moved from the original court building - built circa 1912 - last September to the town hall.

The Stafford Road building was extended in 1967.

Magistrate Colin Weston said that he would have serious concerns about access to justice should one of the two remaining courts shut but understood that more and more low-level crimes were being dealt with using modern technology.

“As one door closes another one opens somewhere else,” he said. “We open another door at Poole Law Courts.”

“At least the closure of this building does not greatly diminish justice,” High Sheriff Sir Philip Williams said. “Obviously this is a sad occasion. I’m not going to repeat my rant about courts closing.”

He also said a special word of thanks to the volunteers - magistrates who give up their time to the process of justice.

“Farewell Stafford Road,” he said.