Bristol pilots new drugs courts

By Steve Brodie
BBC West Home Affairs Correspondent

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Steve Brodie agreed to be arrested as part of National Drugs Week

When Avon & Somerset Police volunteered to arrest me and lock me up as part of National Drugs Week it seemed a good idea.

But writing, recording and filming the arrest, charging, trials and jailing of criminals for more than 30 years did not prepare me for the "real" thing.

When the handcuffs snapped onto my wrists they hurt, and the more I struggled, the greater the pain.

And when a police officer delivered the formal warning of what may or may not be used in evidence, the feeling of my loss of liberty began to grow.

A swab was rolled around my mouth, placed into a tube shaken and then tested for cocaine or heroin, forcing me to realise that if I had taken Class A drugs, then prison could be just around the coroner.

Pilot scheme

Within 15 minutes I was marched down seemingly endless corridors.

The cell door was unlocked and in I went.

It slammed shut, the observation window clicked open a face peered in and then it too closed.

I was on my own. It was nasty feeling.

There was nothing to look at apart from three walls and a very solid steel door.

The new Bristol Dedicated Drugs Court is one of six pilots across England which aim to give continuity to the trials and sentencing of drug offenders.

Rigorous testing

Figures show 91% of Bristol's 150 most prolific offenders are drug addicts, who fuel their habit with the proceeds of burglaries and robberies.

The magistrates of the court have been specially trained to deal with repeat offenders.

They will see the same offender throughout the judicial process and they can offer an alternative to jail.

If the probation reports are favourable the offender will be offered a six-month drug rehabilitation order.

It is not a soft option.

The offender is drug tested twice a week, seen by his or her probation officer and returns to court every month to persuade magistrates that they are working at beating their drug habit.

If they fail a test then it is straight to prison.

Being locked up for 10 minutes was not pleasant, and for me, six months does not bear thinking about.