Name/Title
A pair of Hiatt Model 1960 handcuffs from Brighton Magistrate's Court c1965 - c1980Entry/Object ID
2194Description
A pair of swinging bow chrome plated steel style handcuffs, marked one side "Hiatts 1960" and "British Made", and on the other in hand engraving "Mags Court". No keyUse
To escort prisoners between Brighton Police Station and Brighton Magistrates CourtContext
In the past in Sussex the police had the responsibility for the custody of prisoners both at magistrates and crown courts. This included taking remand prisoners to magistrates courts, and taking any persons remanded or sentenced, to prison from both magistrates and crown courts. Any prisoners appearing at either court direct from prison would be transported by the prison service. In the late 1990s - 2000, these responsibilities were contracted to private security companies who collected any detainees direct from police custody centres and took them to the appropriate courts and guarded them whilst they were there.
These handcuffs were used by the police court gaolers who would take any remand prisoners from Brighton John Street Police station to the adjoining magistrates court in Edward Street, and are one of at least two pairs known to exist. Though there was secure access linking both buildings, as a precaution detainees would be handcuffed, until they could be placed in cells in either building. Whilst the John Street Police station was opened in 1965, the neighbouring court was not opened until 1967, and until then the Town Hall Court was still in use.
These handcuffs have been crudely engraved "Mag's Court" to prevent them from being taken from the police station custody block where they would have been kept. After private contractors took over, these handcuffs were no longer used and ended up being taken to the new Brighton Custody Centre at Hollingbury, when the police re-located to there. Not being needed they were left in storage. Whilst they were definitely used between John Street and Edward Street, it is also possible that they might have been used to transport prisoners between John Street and the old magistrate's court at the Town Hall between 1965 and 1967, [prior to the new court bed g opened.
This model of handcuffs was made between 1960 and 1997, though these particular ones are the second version produced and could date any time from the mid 1960s until the 1980s, after which Sussex Police issued more modern styles. However the 1960 Model remained in use within Sussex, along with other models until the mid 1990s when the Chubb Detainer model was adopted, and all older models were recalled.