Security at Liverpool's courts have seized thousands of items from visitors including fake guns, knives and protest materials.
On entering Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, which contains Liverpool's Crown, Magistrates and Youth Courts, security staff will ask you to empty your pockets, show them the inside of your bag and then walk through a metal detector. All of this happens to make sure everyone in court is safe.
Just like an airport, there are a number of items you're not allowed to take into court. Quite obviously, guns, knives and hammers are not allowed in court. Although everyday items such as umbrellas, cutlery and motorcycle helmets, may seem harmless, they could be used as weapons and are also banned.
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The ECHO used the Freedom of Information Act to find out exactly what items were seized from people trying to enter Liverpool's courts over the last five years. Between January 2017 and December 2021 people attempted to being almost 14,000 restricted items into the city's courts.
A total of 857 knives were taken away at the entrance to Liverpool's courts - four of which were over three inches long and are illegal to carry. Four replica firearms were also seized while drugs found on 10 occasions.
Security staff also seized cutlery 369 times, motorcycle helmets 226 times and large umbrellas 4,208 times. Protest materials were also confiscated 11 times in Liverpool courts over the last five years.
People entering court with a drink will often be asked to take a sip in front of security staff to prove it is not harmful. Alcohol is another restricted item, which was seized a total of 999 times at Liverpool's courts.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "All court users are searched for prohibited items on entry, items include any article that could be used as a weapon, such as a pen knife or an item made of glass. Most of the items confiscated are everyday household objects and not carried as a weapon or with the intent to harm.
"We remove these to maintain a safe and secure environment, free of items that could potentially be used as a weapon. Any illegal article is reported immediately to the police.
"Knives confiscated with blades under 3in are small blades such as pen-knifes or keyring knives."
