Public officers in Bermuda’s courts face threats every day, the senior magistrate warned.

Maxanne Anderson spoke during a panel discussion on the island’s judicial system at the Bermuda Bar Association biennial conference.

Session moderator Dwayne Caines said: “In recent months, we’ve seen a greater level of threats on court officers and prosecutors.

“How significant is the problem and what do you think we need to do, as a society, and the realm of gatekeepers, to deal with the threats and recent rise in public threats against public officers?”

Ms Anderson called the threats “very serious”. She added that they happened “much more than anyone will ever know”.

“Our court staff, if they are not threatened every day, they are cursed off or things are thrown at them. These are things that the average person does not know.”

She said ordinary people could walk into a grocery store or step out for a bite to eat without concern, while the judiciary “have to stop and think”.

“We have to be extremely mindful of what we are doing and who we are with.

“Now, I’m much more aware of my surroundings. I just used to skip through life but I can’t do that any more.

“Boundaries are not respected any more. People just think they can come up to you and talk about their case or say whatever they want.

“That’s something that no one should have to go through. Not just the judiciary, not court staff, police, the Department of Child and Family Services or probation services; no one should have to go through that.”

Ms Anderson said it would probably not be addressed until the judiciary got “total independence” with its own security or court police.

“Maybe down the line, we will have to get persons to accompany us. I don’t like to think of this. It’s not the Bermuda I grew up in. But it is the reality and we are getting closer and closer to that now.”

Mr Caines asked for a show of hands at the gathering yesterday from anyone who had faced a threat over their profession.

After many in the forum raised an arm, he said he wanted the Bar Council to take note.

The panel — which included Sir Julian Flaux, Dame Elizabeth Gloster, Court of Appeal president Ian Kawaley, Puisne Judge Shade Subair Williams, Chief Justice Larry Mussenden and Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe — gave an overview of Bermuda’s judiciary.

They addressed the small island context, challenges facing the courts, technology, the importance of public confidence in the system and hopes for the future.

Calls came for more autonomy for the judiciary.

Mr Justice Mussenden said: “In ten years’ time, what I would like to see is the use of technology and AI, so people don’t have to come to court for speeding or to resolve minor disputes. Of course, you still need to have some kind of judicial input.

“The other thing that’s important, and I hope in ten years’ time we will have, is that the remuneration packages of the judiciary are delinked from the Government’s pay scale and we have our own particular Act.”

Mr Justice Mussenden added that this would attract the “right quality” of candidate.

He highlighted that the judiciary differed from the rest of the public service, where pay rate was negotiated by unions.

He mentioned court buildings being inadequate and in need of improvement and added that he was in “constant” communication with public works officials about renovations.

He said both commercial courts were not fit for purpose, with cases needing to be heard at other locations.

He revealed concept plans for modern buildings and technology for civil and commercial courts had been discussed and noted that the Government had been supportive.

More than 100 legal professionals attended the forum, where Lord David Pannick KC, one of Britain’s most highly regarded advocates, delivered a keynote speech on the fundamentals of legal excellence.