ONE of the Prime Minister's closest political friends dropped into Blackburn to see how reforms were speeding up the justice system in East Lancashire.
Lord Falconer, a former flatmate of Tony Blair and Secretary of State of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, visited Blackburn's ttown centre police station and met Chief Superintendent David Mallaby yesterday.
He is pictured with community support officers Nigel Brooke and Natalie Arthur and Lancashire's Chief Constable Paul Stephenson.
Lord Falconer discussed how Crown Prosecution lawyers advising the police before suspects were charged had resulted in more convictions.
During May in Blackburn Magistrates the percentage of people convicted and sentenced on their first court appearance before Blackburn magistrates increased from 30 per cent to 36 per cent. In Hyndburn the figure rose from 30 per cent to 38 per cent.
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