A SPECIAL helpdesk has been set up at Bolton Magistrates Court to help get criminals get back on the straight and narrow.

The scheme is aimed at low-level offenders who sometimes “slip through the net” and then become involved in more serious crime.

Legal adviser David Lawrence, who is spearheading the initiative, said: “When defendants are dealt with for sentence, other issues might come to light that the magistrates are not able to deal with.

“They might have problems with alcohol, drugs, housing or debt.

“The idea behind it is if we can try to get people some help, they might not become involved in criminal activity.”

The helpdesk, launched yesterday, will be open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 10am to 1pm, as these are the hours when most cases are dealt with in the court.

In the past, the courts have directed people to the Citizens Advice Bureau or to the Bolton Alcohol and Drug Services (ADS).

But it is hoped that by giving people help inside the courts that they will not be lost in the system. The desk will be manned by volunteers and is part of an initiative which will see similar schemes set up in magistrates courts across the region. Mr Lawrence added: “Other courts are doing this, but we believe ours in Bolton is as good, if not better than the rest.”

The court will keep records of the people they have tried to help. It means that if offenders appear again before the court, magistrates will be able to discover if they have taken advantage of the help offered to them.