Manchester Crown Court is forced to close after three workers test positive for coronavirus
- The court had to close last Thursday for a deep after someone tested positive
- ‘As many hearing as possible’ have been moved to the Minshull Crown Court
- The court is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday said the Ministry of Justice
Manchester Crown Court has been forced to close after three staff members tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend.
This is the second time the court in Crown Square has had to close because of the pandemic as it was closed and deep cleaned last Thursday after someone tested positive for the virus.
The court is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday and ‘as many hearings as possible’ were moved to Minshull Crown Court across the city, said the Ministry of Justice.
Manchester Crown Court (Crown Square) closed after three staff members tested positive for Covid-19 (Anthony Devlin/PA)
The court is being deep cleaned today and staff are reportedly waiting for advice on how to return to work safely.
‘We are following public health guidelines to ensure the safety of all court users and the site is due to reopen tomorrow,’ said the Ministry of Justice.
The three positive tests over the weekend are in addition to the positive test reported on Thursday.
Some 159 HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) locations remained open throughout the pandemic, and more opened their doors in recent weeks for socially-distanced hearings, with court users advised to wear a face covering.
Courts have been using technology to carry out virtual hearings and ten emergency ‘Nightingale courts’ were set up as part of efforts to clear the growing backlog of criminal cases.
According to HMCTS, Manchester Crown Court resumed jury trials on July 6.