A very serious post...

[ninebob]

Your advice is sound Thermo, but you'll appreciate I'm not a "career criminal", not been in court lots of times before. I could pick any solicitor in this town but how would I know they're any better than the court duty? Also I'm not trying to "get away with it", by means of a good brief or anything else. I think the crime stands for itself, I just have to accept and take what's coming to me. I hope on the day I will be able to say what I have to, no solicitor will be able to express that in my own words, which is what I hope to do.

 

[Thermo]

bob, i apprecite that totally. Thats why im trying to give you some advice. go to the yellow pages and try and find one thats either near the nick or the law courts and advertises for criminal cases. The point is the duty is there to cover for all the people that turn up at court. He will be hotfooting it from one court to the next, and trying to remember various clients cases. If you go to one solicitor he will have time to review your case and prepare. He will be at court with you and will guide you through it. Another thing to think about is to write down what you wish to say as it will all go out of your head. I know your not trying to get out of it and you are prepared to take whats coming, but the court will weigh up a number of things not just the offence. Get a solicitor, not just the duty, belive me ive seen it many many times

 

[david and julie]

Ninebob said,

Also I'm not trying to "get away with it",

It is a forgone conclusion that you are guilty and won't get away with it. We are talking about the sentence which is different. With respect mate you are still blaming yourself and it serves no useful purpose now.

 

[big-all]

forgive me for saying this nine bob it sounds a bit like you are not thinking clearly on this one
the outcome of the court case depends entierly on the oppinion the judge or jurrors [if you go to crown court] form about you you are not dodging the issue but you should try and make the best off a bad job
get the judge on a bad day no real reprisentation he is anty drink decides to make an example of you what answer would you have

please please listen to the good advice given

 

[ninebob]

OK, will do. When I slipped up last time it was at Loughborough. The solicitor at the time was very good to me, he's 40 miles from where I live now but I'll give him a call tomorrow and see what he says. It's possibly not too far to travel for him, I'll get legal aid anyway but if I have to go in my pocket for any extra it may be worth it. Do you think I'll need him for wednesday (probably too short notice), I reckon my real need will be at the sentencing?

 

[ninebob]

big-all, this will not involve crown court nor a jury, as I will plead guilty at the first opportunity. It will come down to the decision of the bench of 3 magistrates at the time.

 

[Thermo]

ninebob,
give him a ring tomorrow, fist thing and be guided by him. Hes the expert. Im obviously speaking from the other side of the fence but take it on board. Take a bit of time and get things into perspective, whats done is done, so you need to get your act together and move on from it. you could be up against a stipendary magistrate so forwarned is forarmed as they say.

 

[PowerTool]

Hi chaps -like Thermo,used to be in the Police (boo..hiss)
Thermo's advice is all sound - get your own solicitor is a must.
If I remember correctly,magistrates are limited to the fine they can give you (£1500?) and sentence they can pass (6 months?)
Believe second offence is automatic 3-year ban.

Do NOT want to make it all seem black,however
1)I have no sympathy with you getting caught for what you did
2)I can also say that in my youth,I must have been over the limit behind the wheel on several occasions - never do it now,but that doesn't make it right.

You are guilty by your own admission (and presumably by the reading on the Camic machine at the police station) and will be punished for it - I am glad you did not kill anyone,and that you feel remorse that you COULD have.

My guess is
Automatic ban
Large fine

But custodial sentence not definite - this is the only part your appearance in court MAY influence.

 

[ninebob]

Thank you all once again for your responses.

As mentioned earlier, I have my job in word only until the court date. Apparently an unemployed bloke is more likely to go down than one in management with Hilton group. In reality, once my holiday and lieu days are exhausted, I'm unemployed anyway. And that's whatever the outcome: my career cannot progress in the circumstances.

I will be taking Thermo's advice. I had intended to take the duty solicitor but will now try and get the guy who represented me last time.

 

[big-all]

you have listend to good advice [from others]you have put a smile on my face nine bob

you deserve every thing comming in your direction

but at least now it will be more evenly ballanced and it will be fairer and less of a walkover
you should have learnt the first time but you know that any way

good luck with your life

 

[kendor]

Kendor wrote,

i said, nothing about letting in loads of immigrants like what you have invented(not for the first time either)so get your facts right before you post again!

I will leave it to the others to see this for the nonsense it is.

Only because you havn't an answer to that and you know i'm right! nice try though.

You also said this,
The argument is not the moral of whether he was right or wrong but the fact that people on here can argue so vehemently against a wrong-doer who they don't know anything more about apart from what they read in a paper or saw on the news and yet give support and sympathy to someone who in their own words has presented evidence of their own wrong doing

What does this mean in plain speaking terms?

If i have to spell it out for you then that proves you really don't understand anything and have no idea, hence your totally illogical replies.

 

[david and julie]

kendor said this,

If i have to spell it out for you then that proves you really don't understand anything and have no idea, hence your totally illogical replies.

About me asking what this means in plain English.

The argument is not the moral of whether he was right or wrong but the fact that people on here can argue so vehemently against a wrong-doer who they don't know anything more about apart from what they read in a paper or saw on the news and yet give support and sympathy to someone who in their own words has presented evidence of their own wrong doing.

I am only asking what it means in plain English kendor and I presume, from your reply, that you don't know either. Your sentence, or should that be paragraph? Is made harder to understand due to the poor grammer, it is almost unreadable in its present format.( this wouldn't matter with the rest of us but you see yourself as better) You say I don't understand, maybe because you talk in riddles. Why not keep it simple so we can understand you? your comments are hardly chrystal mark quality are they? You often do this and then accuse people of misquoting you, when in fact you can put any reply you liked to the above.

Out of curiousity, does anybody else fully understand what he means?

 

[david and julie]

Sorry I forgot,

I agree with everything big-all said.

We all know your were wrong, but best wishes and I hope you mange to sort yourself out.

 

[kendor]

I am only asking what it means in plain English kendor and I presume, from your reply, that you don't know either. Your sentence, or should that be paragraph? Is made harder to understand due to the poor grammer, it is almost unreadable in its present format.( this wouldn't matter with the rest of us but you see yourself as better) You say I don't understand, maybe because you talk in riddles. Why not keep it simple so we can understand you? your comments are hardly chrystal mark quality are they? You often do this and then accuse people of misquoting you, when in fact you can put any reply you liked to the above.

Out of curiousity, does anybody else fully understand what he means?

I could put it in bengalise or chinese or russian if you like it would make no difference to you as all you seem to do is try to pick holes in things instead of coming out with any form of constructive argument. My colleagues here read and understood exactly the gist of what i was saying so perhaps you need new reading glasses then?

 

[david and julie]

But you are still avoiding an explanation. You addressed your comments to me which is why I asked you what you meant in plain English.

How can I give a constructive answer to gobbledegook rubbish. Put you words in English and I will reply to you that way.

Whats with having to ask colleagues what you mean?