We want to share an important update with our Betfair Community users.
Over the coming months, the Betfair Community platform will be winding down. The final active day for the platform will be December 21st. From December 22nd, users will no longer be able to access the platform.
Your discussions, insights, engagement, and, most importantly, feedback have helped shape the platform and guided innovation. Your feedback continues to be important to us, and we will continue to listen via our dedicated feedback channels, as well as through product testing and innovations.
To share your feedback and experience, visit: https://support.betfair.com/app/home
Chit Chat
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
Reminded of mine today when my son told me that he has been called up for it.
Somehow he didn't know of mine, but it was six months before he was born!
Here's what happened to me.....
Day 1....
Had to park miles away and walk in the rain....
Very many dodgy looking people and that was just the court staff and barristers...lol
A little runt of a guy from school was swaggering around in his gown, and with a massive pile of books under his arm!
He was now a barrister. and had learnt the pile of books pose from the headmaster at Grammar school, who came into assembly every day,
in his gown, with a pile of books that were never used!
Had to wait all morning for our case to come up.......
We were then sent home, as the previous case was over running.
Next day we have our case....a drunk driver!
It was beyond a joke....
He had an old car and was seen to bump into a parked car near where he lived.
The car had been botched up with fibreglass and green paint, and the chrome headlight surround, and fibreglass, were knocked off.
Police went to his house and his car was outside, and he was hammered, and said he was in bed, and someone must have stolen his car and then brought if back!!!
He pleaded Not Guilty....
What a load of Huddersfield ****s were on the jury!
Scruffy and with a total joint IQ of minus 30
I was looking well dapper, as I did back then, and it was no contest that I was chosen as foreman of the jury (actually I nominated myself)!
We sat around a big table in the jury room and three of them wanted to discuss it.
I said "Come on, there's nothing to discuss, and I don't want to have to come back another day" so, backed up by the other members, he was obviously guilty!
We went back in and I had to stand and was asked if we reached a verdict and I said "Yes we have reached a verdict" (just "Yes" would have been ok).
"How do you find the defendant,,guilty or not guilty"?
Again, I had to make the most of the experience and said "We the jury find the defendant guilty, as charged" (again, just "guilty" would have been enough)!
Probably a bit prattish but that's how they do it on TV!
Somehow he didn't know of mine, but it was six months before he was born!
Here's what happened to me.....
Day 1....
Had to park miles away and walk in the rain....
Very many dodgy looking people and that was just the court staff and barristers...lol
A little runt of a guy from school was swaggering around in his gown, and with a massive pile of books under his arm!
He was now a barrister. and had learnt the pile of books pose from the headmaster at Grammar school, who came into assembly every day,
in his gown, with a pile of books that were never used!
Had to wait all morning for our case to come up.......
We were then sent home, as the previous case was over running.
Next day we have our case....a drunk driver!
It was beyond a joke....
He had an old car and was seen to bump into a parked car near where he lived.
The car had been botched up with fibreglass and green paint, and the chrome headlight surround, and fibreglass, were knocked off.
Police went to his house and his car was outside, and he was hammered, and said he was in bed, and someone must have stolen his car and then brought if back!!!
He pleaded Not Guilty....
What a load of Huddersfield ****s were on the jury!
Scruffy and with a total joint IQ of minus 30
I was looking well dapper, as I did back then, and it was no contest that I was chosen as foreman of the jury (actually I nominated myself)!
We sat around a big table in the jury room and three of them wanted to discuss it.
I said "Come on, there's nothing to discuss, and I don't want to have to come back another day" so, backed up by the other members, he was obviously guilty!
We went back in and I had to stand and was asked if we reached a verdict and I said "Yes we have reached a verdict" (just "Yes" would have been ok).
"How do you find the defendant,,guilty or not guilty"?
Again, I had to make the most of the experience and said "We the jury find the defendant guilty, as charged" (again, just "guilty" would have been enough)!
Probably a bit prattish but that's how they do it on TV!
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 17
|
By:
Yes, I have.
We were told in no uncertain terms not to reveal anything discussed in the jury room to anyone at any time under pain of prosecution. |
|
By:
Did it many moons ago. Absolutely recommend it to anyone who gets the chance.
Had a case of GBH. Firstly, the brief for the defendant was totally different class to the one for the prosecution. Secondly, the jury was made up of people who really couldn't give two fecks what the verdict was, as long as they didn't have to hang around too long. One woman did her knitting [in the jury room] ahd hardly listened to a word that was said. Ended up with myself and one other fellow debating the guilt/innocence of the defendant. We were like barristers ourselves, agreeing to convict of a lesser charge, but innocent of the main charge. Professional jurors has to be the way forward and has done for years really. I wouldn't want my future decided by the people who were on that jury. |
|
By:
Mine was a case of carousel fraud involving huge sums of public money. Very complicated and lasted several weeks.
|
|
By:
Did it late 2015. Wasn't at all pleased when I got called up for it but it was an experience and on the whole I was glad I did it. I got a GBH case which fortunately only went on for about 3 and a half days and was released halfway through the second week of my service without being involved in any further cases. The case itself was interesting and it gave me a better underestanding of how the justice system works in practice. There's a lot of boring sitting around between cases so would recommend to anyone to equip themselves with books, crosswords etc for all the time in the waiting areas.
|
|
By:
Great story, Aunty. I can just imagine you wanting to make the most of it!
 |
|
By:
been in the dock
|
|
By:
A couple of times.
Waste of time with most of the jurors either clueless or disinterested. Last time only 3 of us spoke, all in favour of the defendant, before someone suggested a vote. All but 1 voted not guilty before being talked round by the first guy who'd spoken (enough to get him named as the foreman  )Was the right result tbf, was fairly obvious and the sheriff had more or less guided us in that direction. 10/15 minutes is all it took. |
|
By:
I had a sexual assault case at Southwark Crown Court. Obvious from moment one - to me at least - that the chap would have to be found not guilty because of a complete lack of evidence, but he looked a right nasty piece of work. He never spoke once, just let the Crown present its case, which as I said did not amount to much.
All but one of us agreed, but one guy just wouldn't have it and the judge wanted a unanimous verdict at first. When we were instructed to go back and argue a bit more, he stuck to his guns until the 11-1 was deemed acceptable, and even then he passed the judge a hand-written letter objecting to the verdict and how it had come about. Despite my initial reluctance, it was quite a revelatory experience for me - it surprised me how assiduously my fellow jurors did their duty, and gave me a new respect for the justice system in how thoroughly professional and fair the whole process had been. |
|
By:
Google peers daughter malvern
|
|
By:
Been called for jury service 4 times, the first in 1978, but had to withdraw as I had holiday booked.
Some 10 years ago got called again, went this time, sat on 4 cases, minor stuff really, petty theft, drug dealer, one or two other cases, none of which I remember. About 5 years ago was called again. This time had a few heavier cases to sit through. Kiddie fiddler... had to let him off because of lack of evidence, which we regretted because of something said in court after the verdict was given, and a GBH trial, really nasty piece of work this guy appeared to be after we gave him the thumbs down, the judge read out his previous and it was as long as my arm!. Called again last year, kept on standby for a week and discharged from second week as there were so few cases being August holiday time. I'd have no objection going again, quite enjoyed the experience. As others have posted, the quality of jurors leaves a lot to be desired. Some were just not interested, especially the younger ones... some even replied 'I'll go with the flow' or 'whatever'or 'make you mind up, I'm going out tonight'. |
|
By:
akabula 20 Jan 17 09:59
A couple of times. Waste of time with most of the jurors either clueless or disinterested. Last time only 3 of us spoke, all in favour of the defendant, before someone suggested a vote. All but 1 voted not guilty before being talked round by the first guy who'd spoken (enough to get him named as the foreman Laugh) Was the right result tbf, was fairly obvious and the sheriff had more or less guided us in that direction. Wasn't this a film with Henry Fonda |
|
By:
I got called up about three years ago. Thankfully my past misdemeanours meant I didn't have to do it.
|
|
By:
Yes I have.
Woman in mid twenties with learning difficulties had accused her social worker of sexually assaulting her. He was in the dock. Little inconsequential chap. Looked broken. Assault had taken place 12 months ago so bloke had been suspended etc for 12 months. Morning was all about the case. Afternoon session about to start and judge says prosecution had been dropped as woman wasn't reliable. She'd done this before, made allegations. Poor, poor bloke. WTF the prosecution wallahs. They should be in jail. |
|
By:
Yes. The charge was murder. Guilty.
|
|
By:
Got off the first call-up but attended the second. Two cases; one with a guy who apparently threw a small bag of weed as he ran but no real evidence as it was dark and it was the copper's word against his. Why they didn't fingerprint the bag I'll never know but it was not beyond reasonable doubt. We let him off.
Second case were an African trio, 2 guys and a woman. The woman was marrying one guy after another to get them in the country. All 3 guilty. (can't remember details as it was early 80's but this is the long and short of it. Third time I got called up was around 10 years ago and my job prevented me from attending, as it could have been very costly for a lot of my clients. Because of this I was removed from the list and should not be called up again. |
|
By:
I've done it twice . I would recommend it actually . Though unlucky if - like Foinavon above - you end up on some complex trial that runs for months , eg a fraud case , insider dealing or something
When you are on a case it is pretty interesting stuff even if it is not a front page type story . I'd say the only downside is boredom in the waiting room when you or not on a case , but i found that the point where it is really starting to drag is usually just about when they announce you are discharged for the day . Often this can be quite early too , due to last minute guilty pleas . Of 20 days total i had to serve i was probably let go early on 10 of them and i think there was only 1 day that was i there all day . Most of those days i was out by 1pm. The first case i did lasted about 8 days and at the end of day 7 - a Thursday afternoon - we had the verdict almost and could have definitely wrapped it up in the 20 minutes before closing , but then one woman said 'back to work tomorrow then.... ' there were a few frowns and then someone suggested why not give the last undecided guy a night to think things over.... So we went back in the jury room at 9;30 on Friday, gave the verdict by 9:40 and had the rest of the day off. The 2nd time i did it i was let go early on the first 4 days , only had one trial which was 3 days and was discharged with 3 days left of the fortnight to run . But the courts till paid me my full 2 weeks wages and , due to total incompetence , my employer paid me for that time as well , so i got 4 weeks wages for 4 days jury service and 10 days holiday. |
|
By:
@Facts
3 times I've been called although my number was only drawn twice and on each occasion it's been the same. Not serious crimes but all most wanted (jurors) was a quick vote and lets get home. |