Press Release
MAGISTRATES START WORK AT COMMUNITY JUSTICE CENTRE
20th June 2006
A panel of Magistrates is starting to hear trials at the Community Justice Centre, North Liverpool.
The centre, which is the first of its kind in the UK, deals with crimes affecting the quality of life for the 80,000 people living in the wards of Anfield, County, Everton and Kirkdale.
Judge David Fletcher, the centre's sole judge, currently hears cases relating to anti-social behaviour type crimes which impact on the local community. These include crimes such as criminal damage, prostitution, driving offences, vandalism and graffiti.
Sentencing focuses on offenders making amends to the community and where required, being given the support they need to tackle the issues that may have contributed to them committing a crime.
While Judge Fletcher currently deals with those defendants who have pleaded guilty to the offence they are charged with, the panel of magistrates will now work alongside him. They will deal with trials relating to the same type of cases, where the defendant involved has pleaded not guilty and where their case would typically have been sent to the local Magistrates' Court for trial.
The centre's panel of volunteer magistrates will be drawn from a list of nearly 60 Merseyside magistrates, who would usually sit at Liverpool Magistrates' Court and are particularly interested in community justice.
Initially, trials will be held at the centre every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, starting on June 26th in the main courtroom. Meanwhile Judge Fletcher will hear his cases in a second courtroom within the centre.
Judge David Fletcher, who has also started to hear some cases at a Crown Court level for sentencing at the centre, says: As a pilot initiative, we have the flexibility to be able to test new ways of working. Hosting trials that would normally be sent to the local Magistrates' Court, here in the centre, gives me and my team more continuity in dealing with individual defendants and allows us to keep track of their cases.
In addition, victims and witnesses can benefit from the enhanced facilities, here at the centre, including access to the community resource team and their services, and help from our dedicated victim and witness support team.
Victims and witnesses will be able to use a separate entrance to the building and also prepare for the trial in a separate waiting area. The centre also has a vulnerable witness room.
Judge Fletcher's ability to hear Crown Court cases for sentencing will also mean that more cases can be dealt with locally, rather than by the Crown Court in the city centre and a wider range of sentences can be applied, for example, sending someone to prison for a longer period.