jury service twice, first time was abit like shameless the other week, the first case i was called up to sit on i was in the same class at school as the accused so knew him was dismissed, second case the guy was one of my mates brothers.. dismissed really funny, when they ask you and u raise your hand...
second time there was a long fraud case lawyers said it could run 8 weeks or more and if u cant sit that long u had to plead ure case to the judge, i went up,"your honnour im currently unemeployed and seeking work, a further 8 weeks more of signing on will hinder my chances of returning to work and geting back on my fee", "you may stand down" said the judge! touch.. women went up after me, "im a headmistress at a primary school i cant be away from school for 8 or more weeks" .. "you can get a supply teacher..Denied.." nearly pissed myself with laughter, her face was a million dollars..
I've appeared in court as a character witness for another member on here who will remain nameless (unless they refuse to pay a large amount of cash : - )
Also done jury service
And was in court in Nevada once. Shot a man in Reno just to watch him die but I don't like to talk about the time of my life.
I've been to court twice, once to defend myself regarding a driving offence, even after telling them that i could potentially lose everything as my job involves driving, i still got the points and had to retake my test all over again. The second time was as a witness because my mate got into trouble after the Bolton cup game all those years ago, he also (ridiculously) got found guilty.
With the amount of fines i got in my younger days i paid for the new two additional court rooms in which were built, mind u always used to put my hands up, get the fine and walk out, on the only occassion i didnt it cost me fecking fortune in legal costs, time of work and all the other bits and pieces
magistrates court in Preston after collecting 12 points - didn't realise I was up for a ban until I got there and only went as i wanted to appeal against the 3 points as I felt that aggrieved.
Spoke to a duty solicotor about my case and he was excellent - within 30 mins he had understood my plight as I need my car for work and presented a great case to the magistrate.
Got off with a £250 fine and no ban. "undue hardship" found.........best £250 spent & good job I didn't just take the original £30 fine !!
Painted cruise missiles as a spare time hobby in my youth I think it must of been the wrong colour or something...hence a few court appearances. Generally I was quite suprised by a) how much total and ridiculous lies can be made up and end in a pc's book (I was young, nieve and my dad was a copper) and b) how much time and space you could actually get to say your bit and people did listen.l
Was a witness to an accident on the London/Brighton commercial vehicle run. Young lad on a bicycle run down by a steam lorry (not the big traction engine sort). Boy and bike sort of sucked in and churned out as lorry kept going despite people shouting and waving: copper who took my statement told me to have a couple of brandies on the way home! Lad lived but broke every bone on his left side from shoulder downwards. Police could only do driver for driving without due care etc. He pleaded not guilty and that he 'just didn't see him'! Bit of a tough cross examination from his brief probably because the insurance company would be making a big payout if driver was at fault , but expert police people backed what was said with hard evidence. Had a couple of brandies again after that.
Jury service three fecking times before I was 27 - but not since.
Never been caught for any of the major international crimes I've committed so I've not been in the receiving end.
Only time I wasn't bored out of my skull on jury service was when I was foreman on a case involving ringers - moody geezer from Catford was nicking motors and getting his mate in a breaker's yard to ring them. That was alright - lasted a few days. The rest were penny ante crack dealers or shoplifting cases.
Once abroad - Austria. Group of 12 of us got into a spot of bother with some tourists from the fatherland. Really scary standing in a court room the next day, battered and seriously hung over, not having a clue whether we going down or getting the death sentence. Didn't provide a translator and the local consulate didn't want to know. Thankfully got removed from the country and nothing worse.
Over here jury service. Got removed from one case (dealing in the local DSS) as some clown didn't declare an interest and was excused from the next as it transpired I had organised the flat the police used for covert observation on a crack house on Middle Park!.
I believe Charlton Charlie was on the jury for the Jonathan King case.....he might correct me.
Jury service at Southwark - Had a case whre the accused was being tried for assaulting a security card, the assault was in a branch of Woolworths. The accused was supposed to have assaulted the guard with a Woolworts door, the old fashioned heavy ones.
We all agreed that he probably did it, but the evidence of the security guard totally contradicted that of the store manager. Found out he had been done for nicking disposable razors and had served his sentence for that.
Later got shifted to the Bailey and was called up for a rape trial. All I can say is that I never ever want to do that again. Nasty. He got what he deserved in the end.
Jury service at Maidstone, boring as hell. Only bit of excitement was when a bloke tried to jump the guy in the witness box for insulting his girlfriend!!
Also sat in on a case whilst at college at Canterbury, so boring I've forgotten what the case was about.
I gave evidence when some friends were arrested back in the 80s for collecting money for the Miners during their strike in the mid-80s. They were nicked on Bromley High St and the case was heard in Bromley's magistrates court, my evidence contradicted a police inspectors and the judge believed me...
Latterly I was primed to give evidence after the Burnley fans smashed up the H&G pub in 1994, (which I've written about elsewhere). I was denied my appearance in the witness box when they pleaded guilty and plea bargained to lesser offences (grrr), they still went down though.
A few years ago when in Germany the company I was working for had a joint-venture with a partner in Singapore that ended disastrously despite attempts to sort it out amicably and cheaply it ended up in the Singaporean legal system. As our lawyer was charging us a cool €400 an hour a lot of the work to gather evidence, write the affidavits and present the case fell on my desk as a cost saving exercise as much as anything. It also helped that I was the only native English speaker in the company, as the case was heard in Singapore the evidence needed to be presented in English. Eventaully we won the case and it was an interesting diversion from my day job and an insight into commercial law.
In my three legal experiences I've seen how the law operates first a witness for the defence, then for the prosecution, before the commercial law case - and I can see exactly why lawyers have the reputation they enjoy.
Jury service twice. First time at Southwark Crown Court, where the case lasted just under 2 weeks. The victim feel over in the box as he was giving the run of events. It was ten n the morning and he was 2 sheets to the wind. Could not stop laughing.
2nd time at Belmarsh for a drugs case. Lasted just under 3 weeks. Old irish lady on the jury, swore on the oath by raising her notepad, instead of the bible. Was in bits.
[cite]Posted By: Morts-Genius[/cite]My witnesses where shocking! - Thread and Ooh Aah
well one of us said fosters wasn't a strong lager in your defence while the other was clearly trying to clear his own name when he wasn't even getting charged!!
Comments
Had jury service once. The crown court by More London/London bridge.
Had an assault case. the guy had beaten up the nurse who was looking after him in hospital.
Got turned away from a rape case as i had been to the club where it happened!
this is gonna be one interesting thread - now who could start us off with a good 'un - erm ***scratches head*** :-)))
Henry ?? lol
Been in twice in the late 80's early 90's but - Bow Magistrates and Croydon Magistrates both for a little bit too much alcohol in me.
second time there was a long fraud case lawyers said it could run 8 weeks or more and if u cant sit that long u had to plead ure case to the judge, i went up,"your honnour im currently unemeployed and seeking work, a further 8 weeks more of signing on will hinder my chances of returning to work and geting back on my fee", "you may stand down" said the judge! touch.. women went up after me, "im a headmistress at a primary school i cant be away from school for 8 or more weeks" .. "you can get a supply teacher..Denied.." nearly pissed myself with laughter, her face was a million dollars..
I've appeared in court as a character witness for another member on here who will remain nameless (unless they refuse to pay a large amount of cash : - )
Also done jury service
And was in court in Nevada once. Shot a man in Reno just to watch him die but I don't like to talk about the time of my life.
I hear the train a comming...
I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.
http://www.charltonlife.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=18810&page=1
Both were horrible experiences.
Spoke to a duty solicotor about my case and he was excellent - within 30 mins he had understood my plight as I need my car for work and presented a great case to the magistrate.
Got off with a £250 fine and no ban. "undue hardship" found.........best £250 spent & good job I didn't just take the original £30 fine !!
Never been caught for any of the major international crimes I've committed so I've not been in the receiving end.
Only time I wasn't bored out of my skull on jury service was when I was foreman on a case involving ringers - moody geezer from Catford was nicking motors and getting his mate in a breaker's yard to ring them. That was alright - lasted a few days. The rest were penny ante crack dealers or shoplifting cases.
been a winess once
and the rest can only be disclosed after the 30 year rule.
never been on a jury which i guess for the criminal justice system is a good thing.
Over here jury service. Got removed from one case (dealing in the local DSS) as some clown didn't declare an interest and was excused from the next as it transpired I had organised the flat the police used for covert observation on a crack house on Middle Park!.
I believe Charlton Charlie was on the jury for the Jonathan King case.....he might correct me.
We all agreed that he probably did it, but the evidence of the security guard totally contradicted that of the store manager. Found out he had been done for nicking disposable razors and had served his sentence for that.
Later got shifted to the Bailey and was called up for a rape trial. All I can say is that I never ever want to do that again. Nasty. He got what he deserved in the end.
Also sat in on a case whilst at college at Canterbury, so boring I've forgotten what the case was about.
Latterly I was primed to give evidence after the Burnley fans smashed up the H&G pub in 1994, (which I've written about elsewhere). I was denied my appearance in the witness box when they pleaded guilty and plea bargained to lesser offences (grrr), they still went down though.
A few years ago when in Germany the company I was working for had a joint-venture with a partner in Singapore that ended disastrously despite attempts to sort it out amicably and cheaply it ended up in the Singaporean legal system. As our lawyer was charging us a cool €400 an hour a lot of the work to gather evidence, write the affidavits and present the case fell on my desk as a cost saving exercise as much as anything. It also helped that I was the only native English speaker in the company, as the case was heard in Singapore the evidence needed to be presented in English. Eventaully we won the case and it was an interesting diversion from my day job and an insight into commercial law.
In my three legal experiences I've seen how the law operates first a witness for the defence, then for the prosecution, before the commercial law case - and I can see exactly why lawyers have the reputation they enjoy.
One to remember.
2nd time at Belmarsh for a drugs case. Lasted just under 3 weeks. Old irish lady on the jury, swore on the oath by raising her notepad, instead of the bible. Was in bits.
well one of us said fosters wasn't a strong lager in your defence while the other was clearly trying to clear his own name when he wasn't even getting charged!!