Section 54: Surrender and seizure of articles
135.This section requires a court security officer to request the surrender of any article that the officer reasonably believes ought to be surrendered. Specific grounds for surrender and seizure are laid out in subsection (3)(a) to (c); because possession of the article may jeopardise the maintenance of order in the court building, or may risk the safety of a person in that building or because the article may be evidence of or in relation to an offence. This extends the current powers of court security officers in the magistrates’ courts, who may only request the surrender of any article which the officer reasonably believes may jeopardise the maintenance of order in the court house under CJA 1991, section 77(1)(b). A further extension is the power conferred on a court security officer to seize an article where the officer has requested its surrender but the request has been refused.
