Magistrates' Court last week.

Witness David Cox, testifying before Edward King in the inquest of drowning victim Melvin Wolffe, said it was common practice for he and his friends to carry knives for "different things''.

And he pointed out his own blade was less than six inches long.

But Mr. King responded: "You have a knife in my court? You should not come into court with a knife.'' And he added: "Nobody should be able to come into Magistrates' Court unless he goes through a metal detector.

"The time is long overdue and people will not learn from past mistakes.'' Mr. King mentioned a 1995 murder in which an estranged husband stabbed his wife in the Chamber of Commerce offices on Front Street.

According to Mr. King, the attacker was inside the Chief Justice's Chambers shortly before committing the crime.

"And that knife was no doubt on his person when he sat in the Chief Justice's Chambers,'' said Mr. King.

During last week's inquest, Mr. Cox willingly surrendered the folding knife to a Police officer who later returned it to him outside the courtroom.

Deputy Governor Tim Gurney later told The Royal Gazette a committee was aware of court safety concerns and was looking into possible short-term solutions.

But because Government eventually plans to build a new court facility, any safety precautions for the existing site would be only be in place for a limited time, Mr. Gurney explained.

Any lasting solutions, such as the installation of metal detectors, will be incorporated into the new centre.

However, no timetable has been established for a new building and no protocols -- including the use of metal detectors -- have yet been decided upon.

But Mr. Gurney was optimistic temporary court guidelines could be released in the next few months.