CASES being heard at Gloucester Crown Court on Wednesday had to be transferred to Bristol because a ceiling collapsed in a corridor in one of the custody cells overnight.

The court was closed for ’health and safety’ reasons because it was unsafe to detain defendants in the basement cells below the 200-year-old courtrooms until the damage had been inspected and the ceiling made safe.

Both the resident Gloucester judges, Jamie Tabor QC and Michael Cullum, also moved at short notice to Bristol Crown Court to conduct about half a dozen cases between them.

The incident also meant that a dozen jurors out considering their verdicts in a man’s assault trial also had to be bussed to Bristol to continue their deliberations.

The problems at Gloucester Crown have since been resolved and it was announced today (Thursday) that both judges will resume their cases in the city.