FOLLOWING reports that a decision on the future of a custody suite in south Wiltshire has been delayed until May, a leading Salisbury solicitor is questioning the value of a review being undertaken by Wiltshire Police.

Richard Griffiths, who started Richard Griffiths & Co law firm in Salisbury in 1979, and whose criminal law department is the largest and most prominent in Wiltshire, says that "many people" are no longer bothering to report crime due to the current apathy of the police.

He said: "If the police fail to deal with such crime that they cannot avoid turning a blind eye to then it seems to me unwise to rely on 'crime trends' which like much statistical evidence can be manipulated to play the piper’s tune."

Mr Griffiths was speaking in response to a statement released last week by the assistant chief constable (ACC) Paul Mills who is leading a review into the custody provision in the county.

Mr Mills said the review involved "many factors" ranging from "gathering hard data on crime trends" to looking at the current demand and potential changes in demand due to population increases.

At the end of December, it was reported that the number of arrests in Salisbury were down by 40 per cent since the closure of Salisbury Police Station in Wilton Road.

Wiltshire Police dismissed the sharp drop saying many arrests had taken place solely at the station and the drop elsewhere in the city was "not statistically significant".

Mr Griffiths said: "In my time in practice in Salisbury, there used to be a small custody unit at Tidworth, a full time custody unit at Amesbury and of course the custody suite at Salisbury Police Station in Wilton Road.

"South Wiltshire, let alone Salisbury, now has none of those facilities. The police have sought to deflect the appalling statistic that arrests have fallen by 40 per cent following closure of Wilton Road Police Station by claiming this is due to arrests of people at the police station.

"This is a smokescreen. As the Journal pointed out, Bemerton Heath has seen a 41 per cent decrease, Friary and Southampton Road a 33 per cent decrease and Harnham a 40 per cent decrease. In none of those areas will you find a police station.

"ACC Mills talks about “hard evidence on Crime Trends” – if you do not arrest you do not even begin the process of establishing whether a crime has been committed or not."

He added: "I am glad to see that he is at least 'looking at' potential changes in demand.

"A very significant factor will be the dramatic increase in service personnel, their families and support services that will shortly happen in the Tidworth/Bulford area.

"Every survey hitherto has made it clear that Salisbury and the South of the County must have a full time custody facility. When the Council Tax payers look at where their money has been spent, they will look for a reduction in the amount spent on Salisbury’s policing as they are getting a great deal less for their money."