A Merseyside-based magistrate has shared a typical day in his life when he is attending court.
When Daniel Longman isn’t working as a conservation officer for Warrington Council, he acts as a magistrate. The 34-year-old from Birkenhead has volunteered in the role for the last eight years after initially wanting to learn new skills to improve his employability.
After successfully completing what he originally set out to do, Daniel stayed in the volunteering role as he enjoyed “giving back” to his community.
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The 34-year-old told the ECHO: “It’s an honour and a privilege to hold the responsibility to sit in court and ensure justice is served. You do see a side of life that you wouldn't otherwise know about. It opens your eyes to what's going on in your community to stuff that you wouldn't think sometimes is happening in the streets of Merseyside.
“It's our job though as magistrates to make sure those victims and perpetrators are dealt with properly. If we can help someone get rehabilitated, that's always amazing. But it's also important for victims to get what they see as justice.”
Daniel explained how magistrates are given their rota - which depends on work schedules - in advance. He said they are planned out to make sure magistrates don’t miss out on any other commitments they might have including childcare.
Depending on the day, Merseyside magistrates could be sent to courthouses either in Birkenhead, Liverpool or Sefton. It’s only then magistrates see the cases they are going to deal with - these can vary from drunk and disorderly cases to thefts, traffic issues and minor assaults.
Magistrates only deal with low-level crime which is punishable by up to six months. More serious cases, such as drug dealing, are passed up to Crown Court.
Daniel said: “It’s a bit of a lottery when we turn up, we don’t know what to expect which keeps it interesting. It's a big responsibility. "You do feel the pressure to make sure you make the decisions correctly. There's a team of three so you're not on your own and we have a legal advisory in court with us all-time to make sure we stick within the law.”
The magistrates for the day are also given sentencing guidelines, which all courts must abide by nationally.
Daniel added: “It gives us a range of decision-making and a scale. So depending on the specific circumstances in each case, we look at the sentencing guidelines and refer to the legal advisor before talking amongst ourselves. We then do our best to make a fair and balanced decision based on all the facts before us.
“It can be hard not to get (emotionally) drawn in. You feel like what if this was my little brother, my daughter or mum, but you always have got to make sure you only go off the facts which are in front of you. You need to put aside any bias you may have or think you have, including unconscious bias, and be self-aware. All preconceptions need to be left at the door before you come in.”
No legal qualifications or experience is required to be a magistrate as they are given “robust training and an experienced mentor” in their first year to develop their skills and legal knowledge. They typically develop skills such as critical analysis, complex problem-solving, influencing and decision-making, all of which stand to benefit them in their position within the courts.
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Daniel said: “If you can walk away from the court at 5pm and feel like you have done the right thing and it was the right decision for everyone involved then that is you doing your bit for the community. You are representative of the town you're sitting in. You're there to speak for the people and that's the biggest responsibility and a privilege.”
Daniel shared his experience of being a magistrate as part of an appeal which is urging people from all walks of life in the North West to consider becoming one themselves. The appeal is an attempt of a national drive to increase the number and diversity of those volunteering across the country.
The Judiciary of England and Wales and the Ministry of Justice are asking people to “give back to their local community” and “help better reflect the diversity of British society”.
To become a magistrate, applicants must display certain qualities - including good character, commitment and reliability and social awareness - throughout the process. Daniel recalled how the application process is a “series of probing questions” which are designed to test the applicant’s “judicial aptitude and how they may operate in a courtroom setting”.
From teachers to electricians, to stay-at-home parents, anyone aged between 18 and 70 who can commit to at least 13 days a year for at least five years is encouraged to come forward and apply online.
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