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CPS, Defence and Judge Roleplay

Maria2008

Hi,

I need help in producing a oral presentation script for the roles of a CPS solicitor, Defence solicitor and District Judge from the following information:

Solomon Douglass (28) has been convicted at Thames Street Magistrates Court on one count of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm, contrary to s47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The details of the offence are as follows: on 23rd December 2013 at 9.40pm he punched Frederick Northdown (43), (a security guard) in the face, knocking him to the ground and kicked him once in the ribs causing considerable bruising to his side. The incident occurred in Westfield by the Champagne Bar area. Solomon Douglass was arrested immediately after the incident and charged with the offence. He was granted bail and initially entered a plea of not guilty at trial.

The prosecution’s case was that the defendant had been shopping with his six year daughter, Eloise in the ‘fancy things for £1 shop’ when Frederick Northdown, approached him and asked if he could look in his bag. The defendant took offence and there was an argument. The defendant left the shop and an argument developed whereby the defendant attacked the victim.

It was accepted that neither party knew each other although Solomon said the victim had called him a ‘ruddy useless foreigner who should go back to his own country’.
A witness said she heard something said about ‘foreigner’ but was not able to say if anything else was said. Solomon pleaded guilty to the offence one day before the trial.

Solomon has two previous convictions, for road traffic offences, the most recent imposed in January 2011 for being in charge of a motor vehicle on a road whilst unfit through drink (under s4(2) RTA 1988). His penalty was disqualification from driving for 12 months.

Solomon has been living with his girlfriend and they had been planning to get married but these plans have been put on hold as a result of these proceedings. Their relationship has also suffered from this emotional and financial strain.

The Pre-sentence Report records that Solomon has been receiving treatment for depression for the past 6 months since his girlfriend suffered a miscarriage. He was also very embarrassed by the security guard stopping him in front of his child and accusing him of stealing.

Solomon tells his defence solicitor that he is however worried about the effect a custodial sentence would have on his family and in particular, if at all possible, does not want his sick father to find out about this incident. He suggests that he would be willing to apologise to Frederick for his offence.

In his victim impact statement Frederick explains that following the incident, he had to take a few days off of work and has had to face speculation about being a racist which he denies. He says he is very angry about the accusation and believes Solomon made it up to make him look bad. Frederick says he is poorly paid and should not be assaulted when he was only doing his job so Solomon should be punished severely.

Reply 1

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