Criminals answering bail told to take a 'selfie' to prove attendance

Criminals on bail are being told to take a ‘selfie’ to prove their attendance at a police station - because there are no officers.

A poster at a station in the town of Corby, Northamptonshire, says that the front desk is open just two days a week.

It tells criminals who visit outside these hours to ‘take a photo on your phone proving yourself as being [there]’.

The attendees - who could include suspects and convicted criminals - are also asked to sign a piece of paper and note the time and date. They are then told to pass it through an unmanned hatch.

Lee Barron, the local MP, said: ‘This makes a mockery of the judicial system.

‘It is totally unacceptable that a hand-written note or a photo is sufficient evidence to ensure the individual is meeting their bail conditions.

‘Where can people go to report a crime when the front desk is only open on a Tuesday or Thursday?

‘We need to see visibility and a high profile and a police desk open two days a week does neither. This current situation is ridiculous.’

Suspects on police bail and convicted criminals are ordered to physically report at police stations as a form of monitoring.

People visiting Corby police counter are met with the signs on all days apart from Tuesdays and Thursdays. As well as taking a selfie to prove they were there are the correct time, they are also given the option of ringing 101 to get an incident number.

Northamptonshire Police said that short-staffing is to blame for the reduction in opening times.

The police counter on the first floor of the controversial Corby Cube - a civic building, office and arts space which opened in 2010, £12million over-budget, and was then found to leak.

The counter opened in 2017 to replace the former police station in Elizabeth Street - making Corby the largest town in the country at the time to not have its own dedicated police station. The old police station recently sold for £1m and still lies empty.

The counter was formerly open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.

Mr Barron, Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, has called for a review including the opening of a fully-resourced police hub.

He told the Corby Telegraph: ‘This is no criticism of police officers - these officers deserve better resources to enable them to do their jobs. Currently the service is just not good enough. It is time to review resources and set up a hub which can actually meet the demands of our communities.’

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: ‘We are currently dealing with a shortage of front desk staff at the Corby Cube which has led to reduced hours of opening.

‘This is a temporary arrangement however and new staff are currently going through the vetting process with a view to normal service resuming soon.

‘It is also worth noting that the Corby Neighbourhood Policing Team are based at the Corby Cube so there is a police presence at the location should they be required.’