Ministers will announce plans within days to give magistrates in England and Wales fresh powers to hand down longer custodial sentences to help reduce the backlog in crown courts and prisons, the Guardian understands.
The development will allow magistrates to try more serious crimes, and double the maximum punishments handed out for an offence from six to 12 months.
If this is at the choice of the defendfant, well, OK. But at the choice of theprosecution? No, fuck off.
Why? Because it’ll mean they can bang you up for 12 months without a jury trial – that last great bulwark against the administrative state. So, you know, no – fuck off.
As someone who, in the past, spent a considerable amount of time in Mags Courts, I react with horror. Lay Magistrates are the bane of legal life; the self-important who pop in for 2 half days a month to play with the law. All this can then be regaled at the next meeting / dinner party with puffed up chest to demonstrate how they do this in their own time, ( in their own time I tell you!! ) just to help society roll along and see justice done.
Remember that a PCSO has more training than them – if that doesn’t put you off, nothing will.
The only way this would work is to employ more District Judges, i.e. those fully trained and who do it for a living. Save us from amateurs….
The State can already condemn one out of hand, when Blair did away with Double Jeopardy, so that they could pursue , fit up and convict two of the Lawrence killers.
This is just a natural progression by the socialists.
Next Peoples’ Tribunals.
As with the “far-right”, “racist”, “elements” who were banged up in August, necessitating the early release of rapists and child-molesters, doubtless this innovation will see qualified homicide practioners set free so that ULEZ camera saboteurs can be accommodated.
Crimes against the state and state authority are now far more serious than crimes against the person.
Another disaster for the British legal system, that was once the envy of the world….
Chris, they sound like ideal TTK trainees. Doubtless to be used when there is a glut of far hard right offenders such as those reprobates who might show signs of not voting for the right party. Of course, I’m being somewhat optimistic that TTK, having got his talons into power, allows elections in the future…
@Chris – I have in my time, met a few people who either were a magistrate or desperately wanted to be. One of which was clearly too puffed up even for them. I certainly recognise the description you provide and these people should be nowhere near a court of law dishing out ‘justice.’
@Chris
The only way this would work is to employ more District Judges, i.e. those fully trained and who do it for a living. Save us from amateurs….
But what sort of ‘training’ do you imagine these judges will have?
The British legal system has been examined, evidence has been taken, and it has been found to to be deficient. A custodial sentence of not less than 5 years is warranted.
Perhaps a good time to remind ourselves we need to be careful nowadays.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13971345/councillor-wife-jailed-racial-hatred-online-southport-attacks.html
@ PJF
Yep, the country is so much safer when a woman gets 31 months for a social media post and the illegal immigrants she rails against get let off for actual violent crime (e.g. https://www.gbnews.com/news/asylum-seekers-london-soho-rolex-watch-stolen).
We’re well and truly fucked. Most likely the part of the Tweet that likely got her into prison was:
“Mass deportation now, set fire to all the fucking hotels full of the bastards for all I care, while you’re at it take the treacherous government & politicians with them.“.
A sentiment that many of us would wholeheartedly agree with.
I did know a JP but as she was born in 1914 she had to retire in 1984. I cannot answer for those younger but the comments above seem very very wide of the mark. It is very probable that “New Labour” changed the rules but is also possible that some people are confusing Unpaid Volunteer Magistrates with part-qualified lawyers *acting as* magistrates
H’mm, no.
Having had the pleasure of meeting them socially as well as trying to drum facts into their (unresponsive) heads, I promise the cachet of ‘being a Magistrate’ looms large with them.
Set a test of 20 questions and make the pass mark 40% and they would still struggle.
Please look up the readily available requirements for the post, and it isn’t taxing at all.
@ Chris
Your luck was almost infinitely worse than mine.
I have also known Recorders, High Court Judges and one Supreme Court Justice. I feel no need to accept your experience as being anything like typical.
You may choose to disagree: I support the right of individuals to disagree with me but not to impose their erroneas views