Pandemonium broke out in Magistrates' Court yesterday morning when a man in Police custody had to be physically restrained after slipping out of a court room.

And Magistrate Edward King called for increased Police presence in the court after questioning how long it took officers to respond to a panic alarm.

Jamal Manders, 26, walked out of the court room after being brought over from Hamilton Police Station by Police officers for the morning's Plea Court session.

He made it as far as the lobby before being stopped by a plain-clothed Police officer.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor also went to stop the man and assisted his colleague in subduing Manders who began striking out and swearing.

Manders yelled that he only left the room to use the bathroom.

Meanwhile, a court clerk had pressed the panic button, which is connected to Hamilton Police Station, to call for reinforcements.

"See how long it takes for the Police to come?'' said Mr. King. "That is the hot line.'' After Manders was handcuffed, several Police officers arrived and escorted him back to the Police Station.

Mr. King took the lull as a chance to address the court about the matter.

"There should always be at least one Police officer in these courts,'' said Mr. King.

He described a previous occasion where a man had threatened people in a court room with a knife before running away. He claimed the panic button was pressed on that occasion also and the nearest Police officer who could respond was in Flatt's Village.

Manders was brought back to court in the afternoon and was charged with assaulting a Police officer, attempting to escape lawful custody and using offensive words in a public place that morning.

He was originally brought to court in the morning to be charged with entering a woman's property who had a registered letter in force banning him from doing so.

Manders, of no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty to all the offences and was remanded in custody. He will be tried on March 24 for all the matters.