Magistrates have backed a campaign to boost their numbers from 'every part of society' in a bid to clear court backlogs caused by Covid.
The Ministry of Justice’s biggest recruitment effort in the 650-year history of the magistracy is seeking dozens of new magistrates in Norfolk.
It comes as victims of crime face lengthy delays for justice in Norfolk’s courts with some cases being put back more than a year.
The campaign aims to attract people from a wide range of backgrounds – from teachers to bricklayers, to stay-at-home mums.
To make courts more representative, more women and a younger wave of volunteers is being sought, with anyone over 18 being encouraged to apply.
Currently in Norfolk and Suffolk, just over half of magistrates are women (54pc) and only 4.6pc are aged 40 or under.
Samantha Tisshaw, 46, a company director who became a magistrate in 2017, developed her interest in the law in childhood as her father was a police officer, while her mother was also a Norfolk magistrate.
“It would be really nice to see a more diverse bench, particularly younger people,” she said. “What we want is lots of people from lots of walks of life with loads of experiences they can bring.”
Magistrates in courts at Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn make life-changing decisions in cases as varied as fraud and sexual assault.
“The most important skill is being able to listen,” said Mrs Tisshaw, who is currently training to become a presiding justice.
“Most of us sadly will have either experienced crime or have known someone who has been a victim, but you cannot go into court assuming every person up in front of you is a bad person who is guilty. Listening to what is being said is really important.
“A lot of crime is due to circumstance. People make mistakes all the time that they wouldn’t normally do.
“We do see the worst of society but we do see the best too because we get people who come back and say thank you because they’ve been offered the help to turn their life around.”
“No decision is easy, it's about trying to get it right,” said former secondary school teacher Ian Taylor, 58, who became a magistrate in 2014.
“Having every perspective is a good thing. The wider we can make the bench, the more it looks like life in general, the better.
“Because I’m disabled I bring to it certain experiences of my own. It’s all about having a good mixture.
“We are there to represent people doing justice.”
Magistrates are part-time volunteers expected to dedicate a minimum of 13 days a year, meaning it can fit alongside full-time employment and caring responsibilities.
Full training is given and no prior legal knowledge is needed.
The government has recently unveiled plans to double magistrates’ sentencing powers from six months to a year to help drive down waiting times and bring criminals to justice more quickly.
Graham Lee, 55, from Acle, a project manager who has been a magistrate for 14 years, said he had seen previous new recruits determined to be tougher on offenders only to find cases are often complicated.
“You have to be very fair and open minded,” he said. “There is no pre-justice. You have to go into every case in the knowledge that every single case is totally different. You have to be aware and attentive to all the evidence.”
Mr Lee was inspired to become a magistrate after a career in the Army where as a senior warrant officer he had to represent soldiers in court.
He said: “When I became a magistrate I felt notably younger than the others but it didn’t put me off because we all brought skills and experience. That diversity meant everyone had a different opinion and viewpoint.
“It’s about listening to people who are giving you evidence from both sides, prosecution and defence but also watch what is happening. You need to make an informed decision using all the relevant supporting documents from the experts.
“Some people don’t need to be punished, they need to be helped.”
• You can apply to become a magistrate at icanbeamagistrate.co.uk
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