Courts Act 2003

53Powers to exclude, remove or restrain persons

This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

(1)A court security officer acting in the execution of his duty may exclude or remove from a court building, or a part of a court building, any person who refuses—

(a)to permit a search under section 52(1), or

(b)to surrender an article in his possession when asked to do so under section 54(1).

(2)A court security officer acting in the execution of his duty may—

(a)restrain any person who is in a court building, or

(b)exclude or remove any person from a court building, or a part of a court building,

if it is reasonably necessary to do so for one of the purposes given in subsection (3).

(3)The purposes are—

(a)enabling court business to be carried on without interference or delay;

(b)maintaining order;

(c)securing the safety of any person in the court building.

(4)A court security officer acting in the execution of his duty may remove any person from a courtroom at the request of a judge or a justice of the peace.

(5)The powers conferred by subsections (1), (2) and (4) include power to use reasonable force, where necessary.