All Rise! (again!)

Typical really, I should have known having had it happen to me already twice this week. I was warned for Crown Court again last night for the case which was supposed to have gone ahead on Monday but it didn't and no bugger told me! I later found out that even the defendant turned up expecting it to go ahead.

After faffing about trying to find which court the sentence hearing was in I was told by listings office that it wasn't going ahead again! I was literally on the verge of stepping out the front door when I saw the barrister who was prosecuting the case. He said "Where are you going we're just about to start?" I must have looked like a rabbit caught in headlights as he said "What's the matter?" "I was just this minute told that it wasn't going ahead and was leaving." It was then his turn to look like a rabbit caught in headlights as he said. "What do you mean not going ahead? The defendant is in the court room and we're ready to go!" "Well that was what I was told by listings two minutes ago."

Half an hour later I was leaving the court after hearing the sentence of the defendant which I was pleased with and because Crown Court is a duty commitment and official tour of duty, my day was done and I was heading home missing my first night shift this evening.

What I would like to know is how many hours are wasted through sitting around at court waiting to be called to give evidence? Even being the Officer in Case is bad enough as if you have to give some evidence you're not allowed in the court for the entire time of the case but must be prepared to run around for the barristers and Judge all day.

The number of times I have prepared a file, put several hours into making it, obtaining statements, medical reports only to find that the defendant suddenly changes their plea or the case is adjourned further still wasting more time.

I cannot think of the number of times I have arrived at Magistrates or Crown Court only to find that I am not needed or the date has been changed. Usually we find this out as we are about to go in to the court and most of the day has gone.

I don't mind rest day workings but when I've been sat in a court all day waiting to be called only to find that I'm not needed until the next day when I would have been working, or even not at all annoys me. It's a waste of time and money and I'm pretty sure I could have been doing something more important with it.

My advice to you if you ever have to go to Crown Court to give evidence is take a book and make sure it's a big book!