Was tasked with coming to youth court at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court this morning. Knowing it wouldn’t be straight forward I made sure I had the part of the law that states we’re allowed in (S47 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933) memorised. 1/
As soon as I entered the court I informed the usher that I was a member of the press, showed her my press card & told her the relevant part of the act that allows us access. She went to a legal adviser, who told me the press were not allowed access. I reiterated the law again 2/
She then said that I would have to make an application to the magistrates. I told them I did not need to make an application because it was an automatic freedom awarded to members of the press. They told me I was wrong, and was asked to wait outside while they made a decision 3/
A short time later I was allowed back in and they confirmed I was right, and outlined section 49 which prohibits the identification of juveniles (fair enough). The legal adviser then said: ‘there really won’t be that much that you can report’ which really misses the point 4/
...and rather forgets the public interest, and the concept of justice being seen to be done. The magistrates then asked to see my press card again, and told me they would need to make a copy of it. I asked why, and was told ‘for the court record’ in case you breach the act 5/
I questioned why that was necessary and the magistrate asked if I would like for him to ‘phone my editor’. I asked why that was necessary, and he said: ‘because you seem to want to argue with the bench’. I explained that I was just informing him what the press are entitled to 6/
The matter appeared to be finished, and I was asked to leave so they could continue with a private hearing among court staff. I agreed. Youth court started. I tried to go in & the usher questioned whether I was allowed to attend hearings other than the 1 I said I was here for 7/
So now I’m waiting outside again while they make a decision, despite it already being established that the press are entitled access to youth court. Sigh. I do appreciate that it is becoming more and more rare for staff at magistrates’ court to see reporters 8/
But it shouldn’t be this difficult to access court hearings we’re legally entitled to. And reporters really shouldn’t be treated with such a high level of suspicion, especially when they show court staff their credentials & relevant law that allows them access from the offset 9/
I went to a really great and useful round table held by the Society of Editors and the court service in July in which we were told about the new guidelines that had been issued to court staff and had been approved by SoC that explained what the press were entitled to 10/
I was quite hopeful that this sort of thing might be less likely after those new guidelines were issued, but here we are. You don’t often have these sort of problems at crown court because court staff are far more used to dealing with the press 11/
It’d be great if newspapers had the staff to send reporters to magistrates court more, but that’s becoming increasingly more difficult. I don’t really know what the answer is, but it’d be great if we could work with the court service to improve matters 12/
And I have now made it in youth court, hurrah! Let’s see if I’m allowed to stay until the case I’m here for is called on... 🤔13/13
So, I was able to sit in on youth court until the case I was there for was called on. It’s just a shame that getting that access was such a battle. Especially after witnessing the careful consideration given by those magistrates in how best to help/rehabilitate juveniles...
...which needs to be publicised too. While I was taught about the relevant law that allows us access to youth court fairly early on in my journalism training, I’m not sure I would have had the confidence to use it to insist upon being let in when I was starting out.
Off to adult court at Sheffield magistrates’ court now, which *should* hopefully be more straight forward 🤞🏻
