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[Vamps]

I am in the witness box in early June, and on three other occasions through the spring. Have only done it once, and that was in a civvie capacity... not looking forwards to it  :-/ but it will be an experience!

James, you will be fine my longest time on the stand is One and half hours, as long as you know your stuff you will be fine, don't let them grind you down, because they will try, and they will try questions to catch you out if you can not answer the question then say so, do NOT try and bull....

[Vamps]

I'm currently in the process of applying to become a magistrate, and will be attending some further interviews shortly.
I would happily call anyone scum who did that, and not hesitate in the least. Ideally, yes...it was perhaps not the wisest of words...but I don't see any issue with it.
Bearing in mind, every single case is always heard at a magistrate's court first, from rape to murder they see everything.
All cases start in mag's, then go to CC or other CC or higher if need be.

Not so, and I spend a lot of time in Court....

All criminal cases start in a magistrates' court or youth court. The vast majority will remain there, providing the offence is not considered so serious that only a crown court can deal with it. ...taken from http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/faqs/faqs_magistrates.htm

But you are right Vamps, there are certain exceptions, but as a whole 97% start in the Mags.

Fair point, I have been in both....

  in an official capacity? Or dare I ask? 

Yes, as well DLK knows....

[Dishevelled Den]

I have read this thread with interest and am obliged to say that the magistrate does indeed appear to have used intemperate language.

As laws are being drafted  it is impossible to produce a formula that will cover every aspect of the subject matter in question, that's why there is so much opportunity for appealing decisions made by the adjudicating authority.

With regard to that, it should be of the utmost importance for that authority, when pronouncing sentence, to ensure there can be no doubt of the independent and unprejudiced process used to decide the case.  By using this language the magistrate invited objection and left himself open to the suggestion of bias - although I was surprised that the Clerk of the Court made comment before the defence solicitor.

The law is a very prescious and delicate thing

Depends on the side of town you hail from Josh.  In an ideal world it should be a bulwark to the excesses of the state and the wrongdoings of others, not anymore it seems.  The law appears to have become bastardised to suit those who wish to exploit it to fit their own agenda.

The law has fallen foul of fashion, current 'on the hoof' thinking, wide boy lawyers, incompetent practitioners/enforcers and the god of money and is used with prejudice - more and more often - to deny those who seek fair and impartial treatment a hearing free from agenda.

As a police officer, member of the judiciary or other such position it is your job to uphold the law, and do that in the most professional way

That’s the way it should work Josh but as time goes by we can see that those basic tenets of professionalism, open mindedness and above all fairness have steadily been eroded, as those who practice in the law and its implementation/enforcement have been sullied or allowed themselves to be influenced by money and political imperative.


This is but the start of our laws - and how they are administered - being reduced to shadow of what they should be thanks to immorality, incompetence, political interference and a greater influence from others who are, and will remain, unelected by the citizens of this country.

[Sixstring]

Without giving too much away........................................

"A Magistrate is entitled to a valid opinion, but he should refrain from giving a controvertial description or opinion on an individual or individuals in his official capacity as Magistrate at the time of comment should the case or incident be reportable"

So he had a valid opinion on these people, but chose the wrong time to express it??

[Chris_H]

Since he only put across what he thought the general public would think, I suggest he was trying to put in place a dis-incentive to the crime being re-committed.

It is quite likely that the perpetrators would view the criminal justice system with contempt, so intimating that the man-in-the-street is likely to step in on such occasions is a useful addition to his judgement.

Thank you magistrate for going a good job.

[Varche]

Scum indeed.

The sentence was too lenient too. They could have gone to Cockermouth for a month, lived in a tent, cooked their own food and cleared rocks off peoples fields following the flooding six months ago. Lets get some value out of thugs. Come to think of it lets get the local prisons doing that work too. They would come out full of pride for the worthwhile work they had done AND people would have seen them contributing to society. What point is a fine.

[Sixstring]

Hear-Hear.

[BigAl]

The father of the other boy involved has said he backs the Magistrate's comments 100%

[PhilRich]

It seems to me that the Court Clerk has a personal issue or axe to grind with the Magistrate!