Defendants find a belt ally

Press, 26 December 1986, Page 7

Defendants find a belt ally

PA Auckland A District Court judge in Auckland said this week he was tired of seeing men appearing before him holding up trousers because they had no belts.

Judge Gilbert asked why a defendant came out of the court cells with no belt.

A police spokesman said that persons held in custody had their belts removed to prevent the possibility of defendants hanging themselves. The Judge asked how the man, who was remanded on bail, was going to get his belt back. He was told that the defendant would have to walk to the Auckland Central Police Station to collect his property.. v Mr Philip Reccfrdon, an

Auckland lawyer and president of the Auckland Council for Civil Liberties, described the removing of belts as degrading and humiliating.

He said some defendants had shoelaces removed.

It was disgusting that they had to walk across Auckland to get back their personal property,he said.

Chief Superintendent Ron Joyce said that normally prisoners were given belts or braces for a court appearance, and if a defendant appeared in an undignified fashion without one yesterday, he apologised.

Defendants were entitled to appear in court reasonably dressed, he said. If they were not being allowed to do so, he would look into th? matter. ' -•