'Sip tests' ordered in courts across country to prove bottled drinks aren't acid

'Sip tests' are being introduced at courts across the country
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Patrick Grafton-Green10 August 2017
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People entering court are being asked to sip their bottled drinks to prove they do not contain acid after a spate of attacks across the country.

The “sip tests” apply to anyone entering courts including lawyers, judges and journalists.

The new security measures are being ordered across England and Wales by the Ministry of Justice.

Since the start of last year there has been a huge increase in such incidents, with London particularly badly offended.

A security guard at Cardiff Crown Court told the Daily Mail: “It would be very easy to conceal in a plastic bottle so when people come through and into the court we have to ask them to take a sip of their drink to prove that it isn't acid.

“The Ministry of Justice has issued us with the order.”

A spokesman for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service said: “We take the safety and security of court users and staff extremely seriously, which is why we’re bringing in enhanced safety measures across the court estate.

“We keep our security procedures under constant review, and will always take action where appropriate.”

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