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Basic Failure of Open Justice at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court
On Monday the 12th of August 2019 I attended Cambridge Magistrates’ court to observe proceedings, with a view to reporting on them if anything newsworthy took place. I was not able to obtain information which I understand I was entitled to and which I felt I needed both to decide which cases to observe and […]
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Neighbourhood Resolution Panels for Cambridge
Book Cited By Cambridge City Council Justifying Foray Into Restorative Justice On Thursday the 15th of March councillors on Cambridge City Council’s Community Services Scrutiny Committee will discuss bringing a new form of restorative justice to Cambridge. Meetings called “Neighbourhood Resolution Panels” which would involve “offenders” discussing their actions with their victims in sessions chaired […]
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A Morning in Cambridge Magistrates Court
Inside Cambridge Magistrates’ Court (source) I went to Cambridge magistrates courts on Monday the 25th of July 2011 as this was the date set for the trial of Mr Jacob Wills and Mr Curtis-Watson following allegations they had obstructed PC Hinks in Kings College Cambridge after a protest in the city. The case was not […]
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A Day in the Cambridge Magistrates Court
Cambridge Magistrates’ Court On Monday the 7th of March 2011 I spent the day observing two of the magistrates courts sitting in Cambridge. I went along primarily to see the students sprayed with “Pava” by police officers within Kings College at their first court appearance. Having seen a video showing the police use of the […]
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Observing History – Heathrow Robbery Trial Starts Without Jury
Observing History – Heathrow Robbery Trial Starts Without Jury Supporters of the defendants in the UK’s first modern criminal trial where a jury has been denied placed banners on the railings outside the Royal Courts of Justice. This morning I went to the Royal Courts of Justice to personally witness the start of the first […]
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First Modern Criminal Trial Without Jury Set for January 12th 2010
The Royal Courts of Justice. The country’s great cathedral of justice is reduced to a mere reminder of a past era by the government’s erosion of the right to trial by jury. (Photo credit: antmoose) The first criminal trial without a jury in modern times is to begin on Tuesday the 12th of January 2009. […]
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New Cambridge Magistrates’ Court
I visited the new Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday the 23rd of October. I had visited at 14.00 on the afternoon of the opening day – on Monday the 20th, to be told that there were no courts sitting that afternoon, and there would not be any adult courts until Thursday. This left me concerned […]
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Majid Ahmed: When is a Referral Order Spent? Should the Innocent Ever Plead Guilty?
I have just commented on the article on the Imperial College student run news website Live! on a prospective medical student who had his medical school place taken away from him due to a referral order he had received following a burglary at the age of 15. In a Guardian article the prospective student has […]
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Cambridge Magistrates’ Court
I spent a day watching the Cambridge Magistrates Courts in action today. Of the defendants I saw there were two eastern Europeans, one person from 222 Victoria Road, one from Jimmy’s night shelter, an elderly British man, and four young apparently local men in their teens/early twenties. I saw eight defendants, all were male. I […]
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Jury Suggestions
Following my experience as a member of a Jury I wrote to my MP with some very simple suggestions for improving the Jury trial process: David Howarth, I would like to suggest that you seek to amend the Criminal Justice Act (or the relevant legislation) to ensure: A Jury should always be sent out of […]