Snaresbrook Crown Court

Snaresbrook Crown Court was flooded today after a water pipe burst because of the cold weather.

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Four courtrooms at the court in Hollybush Hill were closed after staff were left sloshing through up to two feet of water.

Cases in other parts of the building were also affected by the lack of water, toilet facilities and heating.

Jurors in some trials were sent home when judges decided conditions were too bad to continue.

Sending a jury in a kidnap case home for the day, judge Martyn Zeidman apologised for the facilities not being “at an acceptable standard”.

He said: “Counsel are all worried about your welfare, as I am. May I encourage you to go home and get some hot drinks and we’ll start again tomorrow.”

The flooding started at courts 13 and 14, which are housed in a temporary building just outside the main site and are said to have been badly damaged.

Courts 11 and 12 have also been affected, but court eight is running as normal despite a minor flood there last week.

If water supplies cannot be restored to the building, it is expected to close this afternoon.