The Secret Magistrate

Every criminal case starts in a magistrates’ court, and most end there. Last year, the 14,000 magistrates of England & Wales dealt with almost 1.4 million cases.

But, what exactly does a magistrate do, who are they, and how are they recruited and trained? Are they out-of-touch and unrepresentative, or still fit for purpose with a role to play in today’s increasingly sophisticated and complex judicial system?

The Secret Magistrate takes the reader on an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes tour of a year in the life of an inner-city magistrate. Chapters cover a variety of cases including the disqualified driver who drove away from court, the Sunbed Pervert, and Fifi the Attack Chihuahua.

The Secret Magistrate will be donating all their royalties to charity.

Foreword by Malcolm Richardson OBE | Chair, Magistrates Association, 2015-17

The Author. The Secret Magistrate is an inner-city magistrate who has sat on the bench for several years, and who has strong views on the role of magistrates within the Criminal Justice System. All names have been changed to protect both the innocent and the guilty. All royalties due to The Secret Magistrate from sales of this book will go to charity.

“… an open and honest account of life on the bench … A skilled raconteur, The Secret Magistrate relives nuggets from his inbuilt case archive in an entertaining and informative way … an insight into the difficult decisions faced by colleagues on the bench every day …clearly written and his thought freely expressed. Legal jargon has been avoided … can be easily understood by someone unfamiliar with the workings of the court …The book is very well researched, containing a broad selection of the latest statistics from the Criminal justice System. It is also full of fresh content, including The Secret Magistrate’s views on the impact of coronavirus on the Magistrates’ Court … an absolute pleasure to read … I thoroughly recommend it.” Magistrates’ Blog, August 2020.