Anyone ever appeared in court as a witness?

[El Presidente]

I've been requested to appear to assist the prosecution (won't give too many details away, but it is in Merseyside!).

Everyone has been very pleasant so far, but just wondering what the protocol is in relation to issues such as the trial date being arranged/changed/delayed etc, as it may cause problems at work.

 

[Seasider]

Gerrard?

 

[El Presidente]

Gerrard?

Nah, theft............a word not usually associated with Merseyside of course.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Steven Gerrard to face court on assault charge - Liverpool Daily Post.co.uk

...surely not !!!!!!!!

 

[Mendoza]

there was a funny incident in Preston Park at a BBQ that resulted in a few of NSCs finest ending up having to go to court to give evidence, but then the guilty man went a bit head mental and the trial never went to court, despite everyone turning up in suits after a GUTBUSTER at the Market Diner

 

[Beach Hut]

I was a witness at court through an incident at work but the person never turned up so can't really help.

 

[Flavor Flav]

i got to sit in a court for 2 days when i was on work experience, rather enjoyed watching SCUM get punished

 

[jcdenton08]

there was a funny incident in Preston Park at a BBQ that resulted in a few of NSCs finest ending up having to go to court to give evidence, but then the guilty man went a bit head mental and the trial never went to court, despite everyone turning up in suits after a GUTBUSTER at the Market Diner

Megabuster surely?

Or veggiebuster with hash browns instead of fries?

 

[Juan Albion]

Robbery?

Could it be the ref for not giving that penalty at the end of the Tranmere game?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I've been requested to appear to assist the prosecution (won't give too many details away, but it is in Merseyside!).

Everyone has been very pleasant so far, but just wondering what the protocol is in relation to issues such as the trial date being arranged/changed/delayed etc, as it may cause problems at work.

I'm afraid that work will just have to put up with it. I was a witness in a drugs bust at one of the hotels I worked at in Hove. The accussed were from Newcastle and had been followed all round Britain. I was called to court in Newcastle - twice - and put up in a very nice hotel both times. Both times one of the accussed didn't turn up and so each time the trial was postponed. I was never called back for the third time but I suppose they could still do so. The time between the bust and me first being called was nearly five years !!!!

Had a great time each stay though - first time I went to a pub and watched Newcastle play on TV - cracking atmosphere as it was in Keegans time and they drew 4-4 ( with Liverpool I think ).

Anyway, you've no real way of knowing if the trial will go ahead until the actual day and even then it can be postponed at any point leading up to and during. Sorry, not much help really.

 

[El Presidente]

Anyway, you've no real way of knowing if the trial will go ahead until the actual day and even then it can be postponed at any point leading up to and during. Sorry, not much help really.

Actually that is fairly useful info mate. I assume the scouser in a suit (hereafter referred to as 'The Accused') will fail to turn up or be persuaded to change his appeal to guilty on the day of the trial.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I've been called countless times, but only actually given evidence maybe ten, fifteen occasions.

What tends to happen is that the defence solicitor will advise his client to plead not guilty, in the hope that a witness won't turn up. Then, if it's a fairly low level offence- a minor assault, a theft, a public order offence etc- the court will simply say it's not in the public interest to adjourn it again and throw the case out.

Generally in these cases, as soon as the witnesses have all arrived, it's hey presto, change the plea to guilty, and claim a reduction on the sentence for the fact that they have entered said plea (even though everyone has wasted time and money when they could have done it months before)


In terms of your work, you have to go to court. Whether your employer reimburses you or not is up to them, but the court will give you expense forms on the day of the case, so you can claim back what you need to- salary, travel expenses, whatever.

 

[The Oldman]

Be prepared for hostile questions from the defence. Not much fun I found out.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

You just have to stick with what you know.

The defence solicitor will attempt to wind you up, or get you to change what you've said previously. Sometimes they have very little to argue about, so they just try to make the witness look crap in the desperate hope it will put a tiny chink in the evidence.

No point in arguing or guessing, just go with what you saw and don't get flustered.

 

[vegster]

You just have to stick with what you know.

The defence solicitor will attempt to wind you up, or get you to change what you've said previously. Sometimes they have very little to argue about, so they just try to make the witness look crap in the desperate hope it will put a tiny chink in the evidence.

No point in arguing or guessing, just go with what you saw and don't get flustered.

there is an old fashioned way of dealing with this... er, just tell the truth as you know it

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Is that not what I said then?

 

[El Presidente]

You just have to stick with what you know.

The defence solicitor will attempt to wind you up, or get you to change what you've said previously. Sometimes they have very little to argue about, so they just try to make the witness look crap in the desperate hope it will put a tiny chink in the evidence.

No point in arguing or guessing, just go with what you saw and don't get flustered.

Thanks EK.

I'm never involved in windings up of course, so it should be just like NSC in many ways!

I'm very certain of the facts, have everything written down and committed to memory as well.

 

[Tory Boy]

Be prepared for hostile questions from the defence. Not much fun I found out.

Just tell the truth, and if you don't know the answer to a question then say so.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Good stuff.

It can get to the point, with a defence brief throwing all sorts at you, where you start to question your own recollection of things. That's the way they work, they try to cast doubt on your version to convince the magistrates that you've got it all wrong, so the better you have it committed to memory, the easier it will be.

 

[El Presidente]

Good stuff.

It can get to the point, with a defence brief throwing all sorts at you, where you start to question your own recollection of things. That's the way they work, they try to cast doubt on your version to convince the magistrates that you've got it all wrong, so the better you have it committed to memory, the easier it will be.

Cheers, I have an irritatingly good memory for facts, but will still go through everything prior to the trial in detail and in the correct order of events. The police have been fantastic in relation to this case, and don't want to let them down as much as anything else.