Exeter Crown Court has stopped holding physical hearings as a result of the coronavirus.

Only urgent cases are to be heard during the emergency and defendants will no longer be brought to court in person. They will appear by video link from prison.

Barristers and solicitors will take part via conference calls rather than in person and the only two people in court will be the Judge and a clerk, who will remain two metres apart.

All jury trials were scrapped at the end of last week and many sentences will now be delayed until restrictions are eased.

It is likely that most of the urgent cases heard will involve re-setting trial dates and extending custody time limits.

The final case held with a defendant and barrister present had to be abandoned today because it proved impossible for the defendant to speak to his defence counsel.

Martin Brown, aged 54, of Melville Street, Torquay, was due to be sentenced for being concerned in the supply of cocaine, heroin and cannabis and possession of criminal property.

His case was adjourned for at least three months by Judge David Evans after barrister Miss Caroline Moonan told him she had been unable to have a conference with the client.

She was on video link from Guildford Crown Court in Surrey and the only way she could speak to Brown was through a pre-hearing call.

The conference failed because there are no video facilities in the cells and an attempt to hold it in an empty courtroom did not work because custody staff had to remain with the defendant.

A similar problem prevented the duty probation officer from preparing a pre-sentence report.

Miss Moonan said: ‘The probation officer tried to prepare a report this morning but because of the situation we are in, it had to be done in court rather than the cells.

‘Mr Brown was not happy to speak with the duty officer present and I was also unable a conference for with the officer present.

‘He is aware that if the case is adjourned it will go off for at least three months but because of the situation he is in and the sentence he is likely to get, he is content to be remanded in custody.’

Judge Evans apologised for not being able to make different arrangements and told Brown he cannot give him a date when his sentence will take place.

He told him: ‘The case will be listed as soon as it is possible for you to speak to your counsel confidentially.

‘The advice to all advocates now is to arrange all conferences using secure facilities in your chambers or offices before a hearing so the case can proceed.’