Saturday 28 April 2018

The Secret Barrister review – a justice system that is utterly broken


28 April 2018

The Secret Barrister review – a justice system that is utterly broken
A war crimes trial is stopped because the government has privatised the supply of interpreters, and the company selected cannot present any who are qualified. Two women, in all likelihood repeatedly raped by their father as children, are humiliated, dehumanised and ultimately disbelieved in proceedings in which they did not stand a chance. Thousands of people every year are convicted of crimes by magistrates whose qualification for dispensing justice is filling out a form, passing an interview, doing some charity work and being willing to sit for 13 days a year, with 18 hours’ worth of training. A man whose innocence should have been easily established in court is convicted of sexual assault because relevant evidence was not disclosed by the police. And meanwhile hundreds of hardworking, dedicated professionals are toiling in near impossible conditions. […]

Tuesday 24 April 2018

"adjourned due to the unavailability of an interpreter"


24 April 2018

[…] He was remanded in custody to appear at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court, in Ipswich, on Tuesday but the hearing was adjourned due to the unavailability of an interpreter. […]