Thought i'd share a brief report about our first Wembley duty since lockdown, having been told on initial calls that there was a private room for remote consultation I was lulled into a false sense of security as it later transpired this was not the case. As cases became ready I was then told by OIC's, custody sgt's and the Inspector that the only facility for remote consultation was using the phone in custody -which has a plastic hood- and under no circumstances would they allow clients access to a mobile phone in the consultation room unsupervised and there was not a single device in the station which could be used to connect via microsoft teams for the consultation. Both cases were DV.

This morning I received a call back from PACE Inspector Smith - she has told me there is from now on a mobile phone which will be available for clients to use for consultations in the consultation room and their custody manager will be speaking to other stations like Holborn to replicate what they have put in place. Better late than never.

I thinks it is important to keep the pressure on at Wembley , the impression I was left with this weekend is that enough solicitors/reps are attending and that those of us who do not wish to are viewed as making a personal choice rather than following protocols and health and safety guidance and if we aren't prepared to use the custody phone or attend we should hand cases back to those who will.