The director of Court News UK has questioned the role of local newspapers in light of what he says is the dwindling number of court cases covered by regional titles.

In an interview with Vice Media, Court News’ Guy Toyn, who is also a 20-year court reporting veteran, said “You have to really ask yourself: what is the function of these local newspapers if they can’t keep people properly informed?”

Toyn said: “When I first came to cover the Old Bailey, there were about four or five agencies here. Now, there’s basically us and Press Association.