Plans to close courts across the UK could see suspects failing to turn up for hearings, the public accounts committee has warned.

In a report MPs suggest that the ambitious £1.2bn overhaul of the court system could have "unforeseen consequences for taxpayers, service users and justice more widely".

In particular widespread court closures, which are set to reduce the number of court and tribunal buildings from 530 buildings in 2010 to 339, could increase the burden on police who are forced to round up defendants who have failed to appear because their nearest court was now too far away.