Ash UK/US

I don't want to go into too much detail (actually I don't have a whole lot of details hence this post) but I have a relative in the UK who I have no contact with. He was arrested, jailed and released on bail. I am guessing he jumped bail as he was recently rearrested and is being held until Nov when he will have a 5 day trial. I am no expert but I am guessing they do not hold 5day trials for shoplifting or littering.

I am really curious and would like to find out what he was charged with, is this possible? My sister called the court when he was there the first time and they would not give her any information. Any one have any other ideas?

cybersecretary

My local paper in the UK lists the convictions for things like driving offences, general nicking, burglary, assault and the like, but arrests are not listed in this way. If he is in prison, he will have been in front of the Magistrates and have had Hearing which would have included the issue of bail. This might have been reported in the paper? I dont suppose there will be any way you can find out what is going on until a conviction is secured due to the fact that the accused is innocent until proven guilty, so I guess that is why they wont release anything.

I would think that the Hearing will be in Crown Court as its a longer Hearing rather than the Magistrates, although you could keep an eye on the local Magistrates listings as there may be reapplications for bail, to remit the case to the Crown Court or the like. The Crown Court may list the Hearings on line? You might have to get someone to go in disguise and sit in on the Hearing!

I would do a search in your local paper to see if anything was reported? Like you say, its not likely to be due to dropping litter or reading the bible upside down - the incident might be reported there.

Good luck and let me know what it is!

Octang Frye

Check the immigration and visas page. He's probably already posted about needing a visa to visit the US.

- Got nothing.

Ash UK/US

Thanks for replying. Last time he was in court it was at the crown court and it was listed on courtserve. Courtserve only lists who is appearing that day and what judge will be sitting.

I tried googling him and looking at the online news for the area he lived in came up with nothing at all. Which is wierd as you would think some that required a 5 day trial would get a mention.

There is another website that has news of what has gone on in the crown courts that day so maybe I will just have to wait and try that.

Curiosity killed the cat though... so I was hoping to find out before.

Koolcat

Hi Ash, the fact that a 5 day trial has been listed indicates that the accused has entered a not guilty plea to the charge(s) put to him/her. Since a plea has been entered, the Court will be now able to disclose the information. It will be a case of ringing the relevant Crown Court dealing with the case and asking for the 'results' department. You will have to give the accused full name and they may ask for a date of birth, although this is more for ease of finding the person on their system. They should then be able to pass on the exact date the trial is set for, and the exact charges that the Crown Prosecution Service have alleged against the person. Hope this helps.

Jerseygirl

Ask Ray or Dogbyte.

chartreuse

If it's a (projected) 5 day trial then, as others have said, it'll be Crown. He'll have been remanded in custody until then. That means there will have been a bail hearing, probably before 1 or more magistrates and most likely either at the nick where he was taken upon arrest, or nearby.

So, you have three options: call the clerk at the CC where the case is scheduled, as Koolkat suggests, try the magistrates for details of the bail hearing or have him send a VO to a family member and get his version from the horses mouth. For the latter, you might try going via the prison governor's office.

Having typed all that, I realise that I don't really know as much as I thought about the perspective from the point of view of the family of the accused....

Trixie_b

Please bear with me, this is from memory, and may be a little flawed, but you'll get the drift...

OK, all cases go to the magistrates court - if the sentence for the alleged crime is above 2 years (I think) then the magistrate can not try the case and it will be passed over to the crown court, which is trial by jury.

"Bail" doesn't exist in the uk in the form we all talk about, ie, no money changes hands. you are remanded in custody and asked to return for court. If the police think you are a flight risk, will intimidate witnesses or interfere with their investigation of the crime, or are of risk of re-offending (I think) bail is denied, and you have to spend waiting for trial in prison.

If your family member has been arrested previously and not turned up for trial, he/she would be kept in prison until his/her new trial date.

The fact is that until the trial, they are innocent and journalists and newspapers can not refer to their case, as they may have influence on the jurors.
Only once the trial is over, would they be free to report your family members name as innocent or guilty. between the arrest and the verdict no one can mention their name in association with the crime.

Hope this helps, and if anyone can correct any mistakes I've made, please do so.

Mummy in the foothills

Ask his Mum, she'll know. Unless you have no contact with her either.

cybersecretary

Dont forget to tell us what you find out!!!!!!!!! The alternative is to send someone undercover to all the dodgy pubs/bars in the locale and do some investigation over a pint or twelve and a packet of Marlboro....

lapin_windstar

Court hearings in the UK aren't secret as a rule, are they?

Ash UK/US

Sounds like the info I needed... I will try that. Thank you.

Ray

Six months

cybersecretary

true, but not reported until the outcome.

Trixie_b

Thanks Ray.....