Judge fines pensioner £1,000 for missing jury duty

The Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary QC has condemned people in the UK who ignore summons or refuse to attend their public duty.

 

It has been found that potential jurors are sharing their "techniques" on internet chat rooms to avoid jury service and find a justifiable excuse. 

 

The judge commented on this whilst dealing with a case involving a pensioner who continuously avoided his jury duty and failed to attend his court hearing. He said: "It's my understanding having heard a report from the jury summonsing officer that jurors across the country are simply ignoring summonses or refusing to attend when called without any reason or any legitimate reason."

 

"I understand there are in fact now web chat room sites in which excuses and techniques for avoiding jury service are openly discussed.

 

"People need to understand that if they fail to attend at all, or without good reason, the court will impose the maximum penalty and I do."

 

Pensioner Barry Grimes was fined the maximum amount of £1,000 after trying to get out of jury duty by misleading the court with a string of excuses. The 70-year-old failed to attend court in January last year and again in July this year after his jury duty was deferred. 

 

He first told the court that he was unable to sit or concentrate for long periods at a time which he was asked to evidence with a doctor's certificate. He later admitted that this was not true and instead said he could not attend as he had a pre-booked holiday. This was rejected by the judge and attempts to contact Mr Grimes were unsuccessful. 

 

During a different case, Judge Menary said this is becoming a serious problem: "It causes enormous inconvenience, sometimes it affects the ability of the court to carry out its work because there aren't sufficient jurors and I have to deal with the matter."

 

London Solicitors