Sacha wrote in :


I thought Baz's perp qualified for most of those. But as a judge has
just handed down an 11 month sentence instead of a 12 month one to a
drug dealer, thus avoiding his third deportation from this country,
it's hardly surprising most of us have given up any hope of real
justice for real criminals.

Sacha,
Was it a judge or a magistrate?
Until the other day I thought they were the same (judge and magistrate) but
it was explained to me at court that they are very different.
I took it all to mean that a judge is a career lawyer so obviously knows
the law inside out and is unlikely to be swayed by a load of bull.
A magistrate however knows little of the law and are easilly conned into
making the wrong decision.
I might have gotten the wrong end of the stick, but a judge works in the
Crown court for serious matters when a defendant pleads not guilty and is
decided by a jury.
A magistrate is only in a magistrates court for less serious crimes and
doles out tea and sympathy to all who look a bit remorseful.
So, a real hardened criminal is caught by the police and put in the local
cells until next morning, and his first port of call is the local
magistrates court in front of a do-gooder of a magistrate(not a judge)and
smarms his way to freedom, much to the disgust of the police and the
public. It makes no sense that a shoplifter for example can be remanded and
a violent psychopath can go free (not free, but to return).

I have put all of this understanding of mine to the clerk of the court over
the 'phone this morning because I thought I must have it all wrong and was
told, yes thats basically it.
It worries me very very much and I was better off not knowing. Its going to
take a long time for me to live this down.

Baz