“Rolling out virtual courts would cost more than it would save, a report found today. A pilot project, in which defendants appeared via video link from a police station for their first appearance at a magistrates’ court, cost £247 more per case than the traditional court process, the study for the Ministry of Justice found.”
The Independent, 21st December 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Almost 40,000 violent offenders a year are being handed soft punishments because they are not taken to court, one of the country’s leading magistrates has warned.”
Daily Telegraph, 30th November 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Whether an article was a ‘knife’ within the meaning of s 141A(2)(a) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 was not a pure question of fact, but a question of mixed fact and law; and the justices had erred in law in finding that s 141A did not apply to a grapefruit knife, notwithstanding that it was a cutting instrument consisting of a blade with a handle.”
WLR Daily, 25th October 2010
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
“The senior presiding judge for England and Wales has said he cannot back the closure of 18 of the 103 magistrates’ courts earmarked for closure.”
BBC News, 21st October 2010
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A justice minister has played down plans to use town halls as courtrooms because many magistrates are ‘middle aged women’ who were worried about their security.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th October 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Magistrates ordered a pregnant Muslim woman to remove her veil while she gave evidence against her violent ex-partner.”
Daily Telegraph, 8th October 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“A magistrate has been removed from office after he fell asleep on the bench, causing an assault trial to collapse, the Office for Judicial Complaints said yesterday.”
The Independent, 28th September 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Courts could be set up in shopping centres with the public able to watch through glass panes under plans to speed up the justice system, the Magistrates’ Association said on Tuesday.”
Daily Telegraph, 18th August 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“A magistrate was disciplined after rebuking a foreign defendant for ‘coming to our shores and abusing our hospitality’.”
The Independent, 22nd July 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Lawyers have warned that government proposals to close nearly a third of the courts in England and Wales could threaten access to justice and increase pressure on legal aid practitioners.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2010
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Proposals that could enable ‘associate prosecutors’ with no legal qualifications to conduct magistrates’ court trials amount to ‘justice on the cheap’ and herald the ‘de-lawyering’ of the magistrates’ court, solicitors have warned.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 18th March 2010
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“New legislation that could strip magistrates of their power to issue arrest warrants for foreign dignitaries on visits to the UK has been attacked by MPs and campaigners.”
Full story
The Guardian, 15th January 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A black magistrate who won a victimisation case against the Ministry of Justice has been sacked for misconduct.”
Daily Telegraph, 9th January 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“The Criminal Procedure Rules and witness attendance for magistrates’ – speech to the Magistrates’ Association Council, London on 26 November 2009.”
Judiciary of England and Wales, 1st December 2009
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
“A government policy to fine drunken troublemakers up to £2,500 under a new system of ‘alcohol asbos’ introduced today has been rubbished by magistrates whose job it is to impose them.”
The Guardian, 31st August 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A black magistrate who alleged she witnessed ‘hostile treatment’ of black defendants in court was victimised after reporting her concerns, a tribunal ruled.”
Daily Telegraph, 21st August 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Magistrates are angry that they are being made to carry the brunt of cuts because their workload is being diverted away from the courts.”
The Times, 10th July 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, was in court yesterday — to defend his plans for ‘virtual courts’, under which thousands of defendants will lose their right to have a courtroom hearing.”
The Times, 28th May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“A magistrate has resigned from the bench following a complaint about his use of the Twitter network.”
BBC News, 25th April 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A magistrate has resigned after making derogatory comments about homosexuals in a BBC television documentary.”
Daily Telegraph, 20th April 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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