"To introduce television cameras to the Courts of England and Wales would not add to the judicial process or to the role of the jury. Indeed, one can imagine that being a juror is challenging enough without knowing that you are the subject of a television programme that day or week.

"A news item is one thing, but reality television is quite another. The civil justice system is based on a court process, which is primarily open. Those who wish to can observe the court and gain an insight into the process of the law.

"The criminal courts equally provide a system that enables justice within the law to be seen to be done and to be scrutinised by the public.

"There is also the risk that witnesses who would not hear and see the case would follow proceedings at home on television before they attend court to give their own evidence.

"It is accepted that television does have the ability to de-mystify unfamiliar areas of life, The House of Commons is a prime example.

"Cameras in courts would be a hindrance, not a help to the process of law. There must be a risk that one would never truly know whether you were seeing the whole or an edited story with all the detail that the parties to the case and the judge(s) plus jury really see, hear and deal with in court."