75ZT Community

Very unusual one today

I was chairing a bench in the Youth Court yesterday where we were on the second day of a trial of a 15 year old lad for ABH.

His father had made it clear that he wasn't prepared to sit quietly and listen and when I said that we found the lad guilty he really started kicking up a fuss and informed the Bench that he would be waiting for us.

I had him ejected from the Court while we finished the case, bailing the lad pending a pre-sentence report.

That being the end of our list we were about to leave when the usher got a telephone message telling us that the father of the lad, and one of his mates, were waiting on the steps of the Court building.

Unusually, we were advised that the Police had been called as our own security staff have no authority outwith the Court and we received a Police escort from the Court to the car park. A situation I have only ever been involved in once before, in a Prevention of Terrorism Act case.

In the end, we all got on the road without further incident, although somewhat shaken.

However, I received a phone call at work this morning from the Court Centre Manager, telling me that, owing to what the bloke had said, informed by his son's own solicitor, when I'd been out of earshot, the individual concerned had been arrested and charged with threats to kill. The CCM then asking me if he could disclose my details to the Police with a view to making a statement regarding this chap's behaviour in the Court.

Threats to kill are taken seriously by the Police, especially when there are very credible witnesses, and, as you might imagine, even more so when the targets are members of the Judiciary or officers of the Court, acting in the course of their duty.

Ah well, I wonder what next week's sittings will bring.

Not nice, last year someone with whom I had a disagreement with threatened to creep up on me when I was least expecting it to sort me out. Made me look over my shoulder for a couple of months.

Like father, like son by the looks of it Paul. Nasty people and not very bright to boot.

Really hope you don't lose too much sleep over it though.

Gary M

I just picked up on this and it reminded me when I was attacked by 2 offenders out on licence in Stoke Newington. Similarly to Raistlin, both had an old score to settle against me. One threatened to kill but he bottled out. He was all talk and the other used a knife and I had to fight for my life. Someone called for the police and lucky for me they came fairly quickly. Seemed an age. The one who was all talk did a runner and the other I had to subdue. He was a nasty piece of work. If any of you have ever been the victim of a knife fight or mugging, when it happens without warning, it is a shock. There was a shout "your dead". I will never forget it. I used every trick in the book to defend myself. I won't go into details. Can't see either of them getting released for a very long time. The police were very supportive and kind to me after. For those of you who know Stoke Newington it has some parts which are better than others.

It is scary when it happens and threats as you have described are certainly to be taken seriously. I am glad the police looked after your well being and safety Raistlin. Although you are doing the community - the public a good service, I wonder if you ever think of giving it up when such things happen? Do magistrates ever suffer burn out? No need to answer. Just a reflective moment in passing. Do look after yourself. People like you are needed and you are doing a good job. Try not to lose any sleep as has been said.