Mary Aspinall-Miles
@MAMBarLife
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A life of Crime has taught it doesn't pay.SNAFU queen.Views personal & private etc.RTs for interest. Elected CBA exec cttee. Joker in the pack.đŹđ§đšđš
Hardy country & beyond
Joined February 2015
My new chambers quote đ¤Ł.
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Feel as if we need some wholesome content. Hereâs one of the Kingâs guards being kind to a special lad đ
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Is âlefty human rights lawyerâ code for âlawyer who holds the State to account & ensures a fair trial â? . Asking for an entire Criminal Justice System.
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Today I spent 5 hours in a cell with a vulnerable client in a conference to make sure a trial stays on track with a vulnerable complainant. Unpaid as was the pupil who attended. Thatâs us do-gooders fiendishly rinsing the system to line our pockets with air. .
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Please share - someone might just need to make that call đ¤
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Thatâs a first:.One defendant has just proposed to another⌠in the dock. Romance is alive & well.
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Please stop using the phrase âdefundâ the Police in respect of UK Police forces. Our police are not funded or even run in the same way that US police departments are. Also: theyâve already been savagely âdefundedâ to threadbare by years of cuts to their budgets.
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The Rape Review is not worth the paper itâs written on until the Courts & Prisons get the basics right. Serious sexual offences involving a young child due for sentence today. Families are all here. We are all here. Not the defendant because SERCO donât have enough vans.
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Just remember that the Eat out to Help Out relief is going to cost the Treasury ÂŁ500 million pounds apparently. Understand the need to do it. But no real money for a court system that was once the envy of the world? Or âworld beatingâ as they insist on calling everything now.
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I would like to shake the hand of the creator of this meme đ¤Ł
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Also spare a thought for Mrs Hancock, any children, families involved. An affair in "normal" and private circumstances can be devasting enough. There are other people in this story waking up today with their lives shattered who didn't invite this on themselves.
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Lovely moment at court today. My oppo had loaned her robes etc to someone else so wasnât âdressedâ when out trial got called on. So in solidarity I took mine off. Then judge came in and did so too. Thatâs the Crim. Bar for you đ¤.
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Iâd like to set up a support group for lawyers who neither run or cycle. We are a minority and need to be able to discuss openly how we managed our week without the need to plot it on Strava then post it for the world to see. There may be cake obvs.
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Here I am at 11pm working for free on cases to hamstring the criminal justice system. How Machiavellian of me.
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In all the pomp and circumstance, a human touch â¤ď¸.
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The government are calling @TheCriminalBar âirresponsibleâ ?. Can we ask where they are now during a cost of living crisis? . Can we ask where they were when we asked to talk to them in March? . Were we irresponsible when we went to court in a Pandemic & they partied?.
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There were a group of primary school kids at the RCJ today. So I stopped to talk to them robed up. Their little faces as they passed my wig around was priceless. Hope that at least one, just one, of them thinks â I could do that tooâ.
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An example of grace, dignity and compassion in action - such strength. đ¤.
"My son, Jack, who was killed in this attack, would not wish his death to be used as the pretext for more draconian sentences or for detaining people unnecessarily.".
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Agreed. No child is ever going to think my parent drafted an excellent advice. No loved one will say they enjoyed something alone because a conference overran. No gravestone will say âcovered all their own mentionsâ. .
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It is disappointing but unsurprising to read of the Prime Minister's apparent remarks on the speed of the Criminal Justice System to respond to allegations of sexual offences. He says these things largely unchallenged. So I'll help the journalists out. 1/?.
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Every Local authority that is in deficit or had to make budget cuts to childrenâs services under this Govt for the last TEN years will find your duplicity , breathtaking .
There is no sense whatsoever in pretending to ourselves that just giving 1.4m kids free meals in hols fixes things. Many kids don't need it, and many in genuine need won't benefit from it due to extreme lives and problems. To be effective, we have to be more personal and local.
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We arenât getting a 15% increase âin wagesâ or âsalaryâ. Criminal Barristers get paid set fees for pieces of work. The Government set the amount of the fee. If we arenât at court we donât get anything. Out of those fees we then have to pay business costs, expenses, travel etc.
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Thereâs one aspect of being a criminal barrister which I do love - listening to my clients. Donât mean when they are giving me instructions about their case but those small moments when when they pull the curtain back and show some part of their past or their thoughts.1/?.
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We donât assume *some* responsibility for attire, we take FULL responsibility for what we wear. Newsflash: We dress ourselves in the morning ALL BY OURSELVES. What we donât do is take any responsibility for creeps, weirdos and sexual deviants. or statements like this:
Whilst this is totally unacceptable conduct, if women.assumed some responsibility for their attire, they would not be in jeopardy. Prosecutions will only utilise valuable police and CPS.resources that should be prioritised elsewhere. #upskirting .
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In case anyone gets ideas about elected judiciary here⌠read on:.
Three police officers went to an *elementary* school in Tennessee & arrested four Black girls. One girl fell to her knees. Another threw up. Police handcuffed the youngest, an 8 yo with pigtails. Their supposed crime? Watching some boys fight â and not stopping them. (THREAD).
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Iâll say it again slowly for any government policy makers:.Until you fund independent research into how juries in real cases reach a verdict in a sex cases as well as actual investment into specialist police units, you will never truly get to the bottom of why things happen.
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Today I gave my client in custody,#CareLeaver & troubled,vulnerable young man,a Christmas card. Suspect that will be one of the few cards, if any, he gets. He has no one else now. I wept at the power of such a small thing. Legal Aid matters. He matters.
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Every police interview when thereâs a s co-D. .
This is the funniest thing I have seen in weeks đđđđđ
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Yesterday Southampton Crown Ct had an open day and it was well attended & informative.Lots of court/CPS/sols & their families there so felt like a CJS family day too. Then I did something in nearly 20yrs practice, I had never done before:.I went on a Prison Transport van.(Thread).
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Wish you could see what I can right now:.There is a final adoption hearing. Mum & Dad are here with 2 little ones dressed in matching best party outfits like mini versions of them. Smiling. It is pure joy to behold. And a barrister in wig & gown watching with happy, damp eyes.
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Lawyers are such over achievers. Demanding job plus running/swimming/cooking/baking etc . Any slacker /lo fi/louche lawyers please identify yourself so we can create a support group.
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Can I let the public in on a secret about the Police? Promise not to tell? . Itâs not like what you see on the TV. There I said it. There are simply no super computers with teams of analysts to investigate the phone downloads. They have IT that would make IBM in the 80s blush.
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Can anyone explain why in the face of an almost vertical spike in cases, courts are still insisting on in person hearings for anything other than sentences or on going trials? . Are they on a parallel plane to the rest of UK?.
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Weird barrister fact 3:.We are not on fixed salaries with benefits etc. We get paid fixed fees per case we do. And only for court work. No hearing usually means no ÂŁ. We arenât personally getting a 15% rise that readily equates to an extra ÂŁ7k as suggested by Dominic Raab.
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HHJ Ticehurstâs letter in The Times is worth spreading far and wide. He really was a friend to the Bar and I wish him a happy retirement. Charming tribunal. Cc @BarristerSecret @CrimBarrister @Barristerblog @CrimeGirI
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Be more Wendy.
On the road today at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court and in my haste forgot my gown âŚso pleased the friendly local solicitors pointed me in the direction of Wendyâs locker âŚ. so kind and appreciated ( hope I didnât stretch the gown too much !)âŚkindness received and will be passed on
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You were 17, in college & never been in trouble with Police until the *Boyz* told you they knew where your Mum & kid brother lived on the Estate. Your grandad travelled 3 hours to watch you get prison for #CountyLines drug running.I was the prosecutor who cried. #storyinonetweet.
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See that lots of people have suddenly become experts in criminal law & procedure. Well we are currently facing dire shortages of qualified criminal lawyers so look forward them coming to practice after years of training, professional qualifications & day to day practice.
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Itâs a real delight to see other barristers who donât practice in your area or some who even do refer to your bread and butter professional life as tedious. Sorry not all of us are destined for silk or bench or the Supreme Court but the work we do matters to those we represent.
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Let me tell you why if you want Criminals prosecuted by good barristers, legal aid cuts matter:.Virtually every single Prosecution barrister learned their job defending. And the very best and most effective, still defend.
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What have I just witnessed?.âLook upset, look perturbed but do not look sceptical.â.Did he just tell his Lordship off?.OH YES HE DID. *I am clutching my metaphorical legal pearls*.
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Think my oldest case had allegations that were over 50 years old.
Iâve recently dealt with a trial that considered events from 1974 if anyone is wondering how retrospective the rest of the criminal law is.
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Today got chatting with a clientâs sister, she is an NHS nurse. Sheâs been one for nearly 30 years. Unsurprisingly the topic of COVID-19 came up. Saidshe was exhausted and broken as were her colleagues. seen things she wished hadnât .Watching over people die alone .She cried.
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Have put perfume on for a Skype court hearing. Because. standards.
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Shopping at Xmas time can be a chore.Sometimes though there are moments of pure magic . Let me tell you about one I saw today,.A lady came in to the card shop with 5 mins before the shop shut. This lady was pleasant but struggling 1/?.
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Why does signing a work email off to a judge bring me out in hives?. Best wishes ? For what?.Kind Regards? Why?.Yours (as ever)? Too Victorian?. Then:.My first name only?Too matey?.Both? Too much ?.Initials? Too informal?. Tempted to say âLaters,Dudeâ.
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Every lawyer knows that faceâŚ.
Lord Pannick's face when his client starts shouting at the Privileges Committee.
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Another day, another would be cabinet minister sets out their stall. Today Lucy Frazer in The Telegraph saying delay to victims is basically down to judges listing cases & that *AI* will fix it. Blithely ignoring its her Government who cut the days courts were allowed to sit.
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This made me chuckle⌠I can indeed remember my childhood telephone number. PIN numbers on the other handâŚ
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If you hear an incident that causes you concern for the welfare of someone, please DO call the Police.Silence of others allows abuse in all forms to carry on. Do record it if you can & itâs appropriate- it may be the only Independent, corroborative evidence of a serious offence.
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Besides being inhumane, how are we protecting the public by the brutalisation and dehumanisation of those incarcerated?.
No toilet, no running water for two weeks. Three inmates at Erlestoke Prison in Wiltshire had to make do with buckets in their cells. This is a photo from Chief Prisons Inspectorâs report:
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There are 791 signatories to that letter who probably only represent the tip of the legal profession in all its forms including the Bar. Duly signed. General denigration of lawyers for political advantage is corrosive & unconducive to the rule of law.
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They were called Anita, Armin & Artin. They had names. They were just kids. Stop dehumanising what has happened by using the word âmigrantâ.
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Am listening to @BBCWomansHour on SEN system equally angry and sad at the state of it all. Am especially grateful that they are talking about secondary school experiences. The words âfight forâ keep coming up. Thatâs the exhausting part: always the fight. #SEN.
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Separation of powers. It means something. Itâs there for a reason. Do some MPs understand or care about that at all ?. Tory MPs rebuked over letter to judge in Charlie Elphicke references case
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Am taking a wee break to stare out of window. Because if you had to read what I do daily, you would too.
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But this sales assistant today, just by taking a bit of time and patience , spread a real bit of Christmas magic. #BeKind.
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#Pupillage tip:.When a nice man in civvies is chatting to you whilst waiting for the lift,DO take the usherâs hint that itâs the visiting High Ct judge but DO NOT then say â I didnât recognise you without your clothes onâ in your nervousness. He laughed with me thankfully. đ¤Śđťââď¸.
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Donât think that a lack of criminal convictions automatically makes you a *good* person. #familylaw can probably tell us much more about that. If I only we all thought a bit more before we acted out, even just counted to ten. Iâd be out of a job probably but happily so. Fin.
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Actually the reason it isnât being done is comments exactly like this. Sexual offences - investigation, prosecution, trials, and sentencing - has become so highly politicised that the basics of funding are ignored in favour of knee jerk, voter appealing policies.
âJustice hasnât been doneâ. Home Secretary Suella Braverman says âsenior politicians in Labour-run areasâ failed to prevent cases of child sexual abuse because they did not want to âcall out people along ethnic linesâ. #BBCLauraK
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Things I wish younger members of the Criminal Bar would learn:.Your health and your family come first. No âifsâ or âbutsâ. We are a public service but not public servants.
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Dear pupils and v junior Bar. The more senior of us still get nerves. Badly. Especially when off to the Headteacher' office, sorry, Court of Appeal.
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Dear American commentators, .Our respective jury trial systems are not the same nor are our criminal legal systems. Thanks, .Criminal lawyers of England and Wales.Scotland and NI can & will speak for themselves.
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The very junior defence barristers of today, are the prosecutors of the future. If you care about providing victims with as many quality barristers to deal with their cases then you need to fund legal aid properly now. Otherwise you will look around to find none at all.
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Been a barrister nearly 20 yrs, I can NEVER get my mum to stop watching TV legal dramas and believing thatâs what actually happens in court. .
Despite being a qualified Doctor of 15 years, I can NEVER get my mum to take any of my medical advice . She would rather ring one of her mates and get some advice about some old Indian herbal remedy. I donât think she believes Iâm a real Doctor đđđđ.@MumsnetBloggers.
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If you blow a dog whistle, donât act surprised when dogs turn up.
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Things have been tough for me of late but the kindness of some on Twitter has been nothing short of magical. Be kind always especially to those who smile broadly as they may hide the most. Ps dammit, @BarristerSecret my mascara is down my face now!.
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Someone yesterday in the robing room asked how I was. Not just a nicety but a real inquiry and I felt it.
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Every lawyer working in the criminal justice system stands in solidarity with him.
We stand in Solidarity with Richard Egan of @TuckersLaw .
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Am I meant to feel sorry for him? "fulfilling his lifetime ambition " đ.
"Supporting, to different degrees, four of his six children"?. Wow. Truly a man who shoulders his responsibilities.
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If by this she mean courts falling down around our ears, an IT system that is overdue, over budget, not fit for purpose & causing HMCTS employees to ballot , the steady erosion of investment & funding to to legal aid over the last 12 years to the point of collapse then sureâŚ.
As Courts Minister, I'm proud that we are creating a legal aid system that is fit for the future. ÂŁ135m extra investment in legal aid will help ensure that solicitors & other legal professionals are better paid for the important work they do to ensureâŚ1/2.
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30 (!!!) years ago this month the girl on the left had her picture taken at @St_Catz . The person on the right still remembers her fondly đ.#ThrowbackThursday
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Please can we stop the Americanisation of the language of Criminal Justice as used in the Eng & Wales?.1. No more âperpetratorsâ or worse still âperpâ.2. No more âtaking the standâ.3. No more âMOâs . Grumpy old woman rant over.
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As one who regularly represents those who are accused of offences society despises, I cannot stress enough how important this rule is because one day you or someone you know/love may become accused. I & my colleagues at @TheCriminalBar will be here ready to represent you.
"The cab rank rule is here to stay. It is a bedrock obligation for us as a profession â the barristersâ equivalent of the doctorsâ Hippocratic oath." Chair of the Bar Nick Vineall KC has issued a statement to members following media misreporting this week
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Right. I donât want to hear criminal practitioners talking about âSunday homework clubâ anymore. You are now working 6 day working weeks as standard, not a student with an essay crisis. Itâs unsustainable long term and undermining the gravity of the situation.
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Am going to say this: .Only trials and sentences where defendants are in person should physically be at court. Everything else should be on CVP for the week or so running up to Christmas. A stitch in time now will save much more than nine in the future.
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@BarristerSecret Or. And hear me out here. Maybe we start looking at whatâs more effective than more and more short custodial sentences which have little chance of rehabilitation or tackling recidivism.
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Got to love the sense of humour of this Chief đ.
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Todayâs judge was charm personified even over the link. He made sure that everything could be done to ensure that the hearing would work smoothly and calmly to ensure an effective hearing. When I spoke to my client afterwards it had made the world of difference to mental state.
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Heâs right. Either we have trial by jury or we donât. Juries ultimately in a trial return the verdict (mostly). This constant narrative of *because a jury acquitted, the P was wrong to bring the case* has to stop as it actually undermines why we have trials at all.
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Disability discrimination isnât just about the obvious things. Itâs like when someone said *those * children (Autistic) shouldnât be in mainstream school at all. Or when someone reacts about the DVLA issue by saying âwhatâs the problem?â.Itâs the daily microagressions that grate.
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Tonight the world feels a little sadder. and wise friend showed this poem which helps. Squeeze and cherish those you care about just a little harder.
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Tell you what - why doesnât he come back and practice for 1 month to get an idea.
âI donât believe we are close to breaking pointâ, says Robert Buckland on the criminal justice system as I remind myself of cases in my diary in 2023, suspects released under investigation for *years* before charge and the fact it began raining *inside* a courthouse this week.
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Know barristers are meant to be all paperless now. But thereâs still something deeply satisfying about a brand new Counselâs blue book.
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Todayâs festive tweet:.Today at court, Mr Christmas was representing a client who had been arrested on a warrant wearing a Santa Tshirt emblazoned with the legend âWANTEDâ. Yes. I saw this with my own eyes.
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Twitter can we please all thank @davidallengreen for his sterling and unstinting work in making what could be an arcane area of law, utterly accessible and even funny #inaBrummieaccentobvs.
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Well my opponent has been a delight. She was professional, cordial and civil. She didnât know me and didnât have to but she did. She did not know that my personal life is in a state of free fall and that her professionalism made all the difference to my mental wellbeing.
#WednesdayWellbeing:.âShe pressed every insecurity button she could find in me, hit every nerve of uncertainty I possessed and I imploded.â. My article on dealing with rude opponents at courtâ.
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Every day barristers and solicitors fiercely defend & underline the burden of proof and standard of proof at court. Matters not whether defending or prosecuting. We do it as part of our jobs, day in day out, holding the line for every case, every defendant. #FearNoOneDoRight.
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Something lovely to start your day!.
So a pretty strange thing happened to me tonight, and in this dark #Brexit time, it might benefit Twitter to hear it. /thread.
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This. All day long. But itâs just about criminals isnât it so why care? Every victim of crime deserves better too. Every witness. Every juror. Any of us can find ourselves suddenly in the system. All of us . We all deserve better.
The Justice System canât cope. The CPS canât cope. Prisons canât cope. Probation canât cope. There is a pattern here.
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I am sorry this is not political but Liz Trussâ behaviour at the declaration from holding up the declaration and now not speaking is emblematic of why the Conservatives have lost and are lost.
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They have set up a fraud investigation team costing ÂŁ25m to investigate a system that they were told was open to abuse. But wonât even talk to @TheCriminalBar about the criminal justice system that affects us all.
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Why canât MPs just ask a question without all that (self) congratulatory gushing ? Isnât it time to reform that ? .Donât @ me with tradition/convention - I have to wear horse hair and use strangely archaic language. .
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I prefer working in the silence of late evening. My body tells me this is not goodâŚany other night owls?.
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