Do I have what it takes to be a magistrate?
I’m thinking of becoming a magistrate. Before applying, I was advised to attend a few sessions and find out how it all works. My first case was a bag theft from a London pub. The accused, an Algerian football ace, pleaded guilty through an interpreter. The court heard that his glittering football career had been cut short by ‘an accident’ and he was currently living in London ‘with the support of friends’. The magistrate, a kindly, soft-spoken redhead, fined him £60 and made a note of his ‘good character’. She reduced his fine by £20 as a reward for pleading guilty. The defendant lounged against the rail of the dock
