Christmas Newsletter

By HHJ Simon Ward
In the Autumn edition Di Gibbins wrote of her 35 years’ experience
working in the Courts Service, and how she began in 1985. I mentioned to
Karen our editor that I began my pupillage the year after that – and Karen
thought it might be interesting if I were to write a little about how I started
in the law. Well, you can be the judges of that…
In 1985 I was in my 3 rd year studying Law at Birmingham University.
I wanted to be a barrister. My dad was one, and when I was little, my
understanding of his job was that he went to work to argue with people.
Though I didn’t learn of this until quite recently, at school I had a reputation
for being a little bit challenging. I certainly thought that having a job
arguing with people would be up my street, and so I set off to follow in dad’s
footsteps. He didn’t approve of a lot else I did, as you can perhaps imagine
from seeing what I looked like in 1985, but I know he approved of that.
I got my law degree and the next step was to go to London, which
at that time was the only place you could study for the professional exams
to become a barrister. I was from Wolverhampton, and the Midlands was
where I knew I wanted to come home to for work when I qualified, but the
prospect of living in London for an academic year was both exciting and
daunting. My year in London was busy – I enjoyed the more practical side
of the education – and made sure I studied hard – passing these exams was
probably the most important academic target I had ever faced. It wasn’t all
hard work though: as well as studying, I joined a band, grew a beard and
even longer hair, got an earring, and generally tried to live according to the
philosophy of the Spinal Tap keyboardist. [You can look that up – a small
prize to the first person who emails me correctly with what it was!] My
band-mates and I were really relieved that all of us passed our Bar Finals –
despite the disdain in which we were held by some other students who felt
We know that Di looked like a mid-80s
professional this year. Compare and contrast.

we were unlikely to achieve much success (musically or academically). We
had some thinking to do then – our keyboard player had sent some demo
tapes around and he reckoned if we stayed together and in London we
could do well on the local R&B circuit. Well, that didn’t happen!
The night I was called to the Bar in Summer ‘86, Lord Bridge told me
to get a haircut. I thought I had better take his lordship’s advice. In Autumn
1986, clean shaven and with respectable hair, I arrived for pupillage at 1
Fountain Court in Birmingham. My pupil master was Anthony Hughes, who
was destined for far greater things. Nowadays you can’t call them pupil
masters – they are supervisors – and I spent my first 6 months following
him and other barristers to court and wondering how on earth I was going
to stand up and do what they did on a daily basis. Lord Hughes, as he is
now, was a hard act for anyone to follow. In those days, obviously the court
office at Wolverhampton looked like it did in Di’s photos – but the public
areas of the old courts were usually thick with cigarette smoke and really
busy. We didn’t have mobile phones to call chambers, and we used to have
to make sure we had coins for the payphone. When I started doing my own
cases, I remember feeling really proud after my first Crown Court trial (in
Court 1 over in what is now the Magistrates Court) when I pushed my
money in the payphone to ring my clerks and say I had finished it. If you’re
interested, it was a burglary, I was defending, HHJ Mott presided, and I lost.
Di’s reminiscence about her typing skills reminded me that in
Chambers nobody typed up their Opinions or Pleadings. We all hand wrote
them and gave them to Debbie our typist, who was brilliant. She had an eye
for a mistake, and would occasionally offer corrections of more than just
our spelling.
One of the first cases I watched in pupillage involved a man charged
with sexually assaulting his young daughter. The case was heard in Stafford
Crown Court (the old Shirehall) in Court 1, and was presided over by a High
Court Judge. The girl was aged about 6, and this was before the days of
video recorded interviews or video links or even screens. Looking back I
think this was quite inhumane. She had to come into court and stand in the
witness box in front of everybody, and tell the court what terrible things her
father had done to her. She was so small nobody could see her, so the usher
got a pile of cushions so she could sit up and be seen. The Judge with his red
robe and wig told her she had to tell the truth. She was in tears throughout.
She was cross examined sternly and accused of lying. It was, frankly,
horrible. And that is how children were often treated by courts up until the
late 1980s. I am so pleased that we are far more sensitive these days to the
needs of witnesses, and I hope that in another 30 years people don’t look
back at this time and think that the way we deal with witnesses now was
barbaric.
(For the sake of the length of this article we’ll skip about 30 years now!)
Of course, things changed a lot since I started in the law: not only
the way we do cases, but the resources we have and the equipment we use
have changed out of all recognition from the mid 80s. One thing though
hasn’t changed, and it’s the most valuable thing we have here at
Wolverhampton. I’ve seen it for years, as an outsider when I was a member
of the bar coming to do cases here, and now it’s part of my day to day life
at work as a judge. It is the wonderful team spirit we have here. Despite the
changes, and the fact that life never seems to get any easier, everyone here
works as a team and supports each other. I am so happy and proud to be
part of the team here at Wolverhampton. I hope you all knew that already,
but now it’s in print too. Thank you all for making me feel that way!
1985
Boris Becker became the youngest Wimbledon Champion
Man United beat Everton 1-0 in the FA Cup final
Ernie Wise made the first mobile phone call
Coca Cola (briefly) launched New Coke
Back to the Future, The Color Purple, Out of Africa, Pale Rider, Goonies, The
Breakfast Club, Spies Like Us, View to a Kill and Commando were released.
We heard Money for Nothing, Material Girl, Take on Me, The Heat is On,
Walking On Sunshine and Careless Whisper for the first time.
And there were a couple of small gatherings called Live Aid…
(Anyone else feeling really, really old?- Paul)

From HHJ Burbidge QC
“Another year over and a new one just about to begin”: I know, a
sentiment that is not quite John Lennonesq but you know what I mean.
As we say where I come from [and it’s not Liverpool] “I can’t Adam and
Eve it!” We are at the end of the year and we are all still standing and more.
Mrs Clark and her inimitable team of fund raisers and well -being aficionados
have forced me to write a missive for this newsletter when we are all exhausted
lagging, flagging and…………………wilting. I say that; of course when I mean all of
us, I exclude Gary. His enthusiasm for decoration; contest and humiliation of us
by for example demanding items of our apparel has no limitation. [Although I
dare say Mandy is also still singing carols and Christmas songs with high energy,
even outside of any competitive contest. She needs no excuse!]
It has on reflection [if we have time for such a moment] been a year
where a number of our friends and colleagues have moved on. We have ‘lost’ a
number of colleagues with irreplaceable experience to all teams. I mention just
three as examples: Mr Broome; Ms Putka and Judge Webb.
A number of our staff whilst not trekking to alternative pastures have
taken on new roles with enthusiasm and gusto: Ann, Suman, Ruth, Becky and
Sarah.
Pressures for all sorts of reasons have been applied to us: Let us have a
respite for just a moment over the festive period from the effect of a reduction of
Court days; From the One Conversations; from the changing computerised
systems.
For through all of this it is the camaraderie and spirit generated by you
all that is undented and undaunted that makes Wolverhampton Crown Court
such a special place to work. I and the Judges with whom you work could not be
more happy to be part of such a spirited unit and team.
Any and every visitor to this Court whether it be from the higher judiciary
to local dignitaries or court users know what a special environment you the staff
here create, because I am told frequently. It is “Second to None”. From which I
personally take immense pride, as coincidentally that is exactly my old school
motto.
I take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very happy and peaceful
Christmas, just as you would wish it to be. I am sure at this family time we will all
take a moment or two to reflect on the past year, but I know because of the
team we are we will also have foremost in our thoughts Marie Dance and her
family.”
From Tracey Jones
“I would just like to say thank you for the support during the last 12
months and how you have all been so positive with the roof works.
Working with the teams at Wolverhampton Crown Court is amazing, the energy
and enthusiasm you have is infectious.
Everyone that visits from Judiciary to visiting staff, always comment on
what a wonderful site Wolverhampton Crown Court is and I couldn’t agree more.
I always feel uplifted when on site and you always make me smile when attending
TIBS.
I leave you for a short while but I will always compare others to the teams
at Wolverhampton and the sterling work that you do. Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year.
See you all soon.”
From Carol Gaunt
“Thank you to each of you for all your hard work throughout the last
year. I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas, enjoy a well-earned rest and come
back in 2020 ready to face the challenges ahead. Xx”
We wish Court Clerk Sarah Newton all the best
as she takes up her new role at the Ministry of Defence.
Sarah has been a Court Clerk at Wolverhampton since
April 2014.

12 months of Christmas
Lucky Dip for Acorns Hospice
Staff and judiciary took a
gamble as they picked gifts
from the Lucky Dip. There were
single prizes for a pound and
gift bags for a bargain two
pounds. A total of £86 will be
heading to Acorns Hospice to
help with their campaign to stay
open.
Cinderella’s Slipper Competition
Cinders’ clumsiness
seems to be catching, as
number of items of discarded
footwear have been found in
the office. Staff now have the
challenge of matching the
errant articles with their
owners. The one with the
most correct answers will
earn a glass slipper of their
very own!
Twenty-four handbags filled with essentials will be getting new owners
thanks to the generosity of staff over the past year. Other donations of toiletries
will be split between Tabs Kitchen and The Haven, along with gift boxes of toys
and books for the children housed there.

Christmas can be (OK is) a time of overindulgence, when good intentions
slip as the tin of Quality Street (other varieties of sweets are available) is passed
round. Staff engagement lead Karen Clark has stuffed the notice board with
information to help staff over the Christmas season and into the New Year. A
basket of fruit was provided to enable staff to take the healthier option when
tempted by yet another mince pie…
Can you spot the 16 differences in these pictures?

Here are two sets of 16 words. They can be sorted into four groups
of four. Each group has something in common. Be careful, as some
words may fit into more than one group