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Magistrates court

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KDLB

Member since
April 2020

27 posts

Posted Tue December 22, 2020 3:17pmReport post

My husband has magistrates court early in Jan, not heard anything from solicitor for nearly 2 months, they are not replying to our emails !!

What should we expect at magistrates court, is it a short trial with him just entering plea? Will they read out the case details?

We know nothing and am starting to get panicky about the actual day now.

Has anyone gone through this and can share the practical side of what to expect?

majestictopaz15

Member since
December 2019

371 posts

Posted Tue December 22, 2020 5:36pmReport post

It will be a plea hearing and doesn't take long. They basically read out the charges and then ask how someone pleas. Then it is forwarded to the crown court in most cases due to the seriousness of these offences. It was about a month after the plea for my partner to be at crown court (pre covid).

It is also an opportunity to make sure the courts have the right admin details.

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Thu December 31, 2020 2:13pmReport post

My husband is due in court in February. Been charged with possession of iioc..so am I hearing that even after that court date, he may still have to go to crown court ?

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Thu December 31, 2020 2:16pmReport post

if charged and due in magistrates court, does sentencing not take place there ?



why would it go to crown court or is that just for more serious offences, not that this isn't serious

Yazznan

Member since
July 2020

211 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 12:51amReport post

Hi lee just reading your last reply and wanted to ask you say the sentence is less than 12 months will they issue him the sentence that day or will he have to return a month later?



Thanks xx

majestictopaz15

Member since
December 2019

371 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 1:03amReport post

I believe it is adjourned for magistrates to do a pre sentence report and give more time. The olea hearings are really quick in comparison and so allocated time is limited. But I'm not sure how long the wait is and not come across it for child sex offences.

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 12:42pmReport post

Just when there might be a glimmer that going to magistrates court might be the end, the thought now of it not actually being done that day is making me feel sick now..how much more do we have to go through any of us and how much longer after magistrates will it be before going to crown court if it does.

would it stilll go to crown court even if it's only for possession of iioc?
no one has even said to us about the possibility of it going further than magistrates

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 1:43pmReport post

Dear god I thought it would be over when going to magistrates because no one has said anything about crown court..

what's SOR? Sorry I'm just getting sick of it all now and just want it over with..

how long after magistrates would it likely to be before going to crown court?



is there any chance at all that magistrates would deal with it ?
Hes pleading not guilty ..

no one seems to tell you anything and the waiting and not knowing is horrendous.

how much more are we going to have to go through? Not even social worker has said anything about crown court..how do we deal with that side of it

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 1:44pmReport post

Solicitor has already told him at the most it's a suspended he's looking at and she didn't even mention crown court to him

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 3:43pmReport post

It's never ending isn't it ?



maybe pleading guilty is an option he should think about then if it saves going to crown court..

I don't think either of us could face another 12 months of this nightmare..it's already going into its 2nd year already..

I always thought that crown court was the more serious offences ( and that's not me saying iioc isn't serious)

it's so unfair that he's to suddenly decide to plead guilty to make it easier on those involved but I guess that's the price that has to be paid..

I just assumed that his solicitor told him at the most a suspended because she knew what she was talking about..

agsin I guess I was wrong x

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 4:50pmReport post

He received a letter the week before Xmas informing him that he'd been charged and had to appear at magistrates court in February..he feels that he shouldn't have to plead guilty just to make it easier when all he did was download a chat site, but has said if it makes it better he'll plead guilty but I don't feel that's fair because all he's guilty of is downloading kik and I'm not just saying that or being stupid or putting the blinkers on..

solicitor has been messsged today and has replied saying she's trying to get the papers together and she'll call husband later..

ive heard so many different things and read so many different things as to whay might happen..he's been consistent in what he's said to me and I've no reason to suspect anything else ..

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 6:02pmReport post

Solicitor has rung husband and it will go to crown court..been told not to panic and can't advise on what to plead yet as she's trying to get all the paperwork together.

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 6:09pmReport post

Solicitor has told him that he'll be put on probation and as for anything else that depends what sentence he's handed..

will be put on the sex offenders register aswell but for how long depends also on what sentence he gets but because he's an unblemished record with convictions of any type should go in his favour shes told him..

when he's on probation all devices will be checked and he won't be notified of when this will happen, they'll just turn up..

he asked if the courts would stop him from coming home and she said that decision is down to social services and not anyone else..

im doing my utmost best where SS are concerned and waiting on SW completing work with me..

im so scared that no matter what I do it won't be good enough for SW

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 6:10pmReport post

I meant to put unblemished record with no convictions sorry

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 6:11pmReport post

He's been charged for being in possession of iioc

Annie1969

Member since
November 2020

224 posts

Posted Fri January 1, 2021 6:19pmReport post

Solicitor has also said she understands the frustration but unfortunately at the moment due to COVID it's a slow process and we just need to try and deal with things as best we can.

at present due to COVID she can't say how much longer after magistrates it will be before going to crown court



just feels like it's never going to end and I don't know how much more I can take x

KDLB

Member since
April 2020

27 posts

Posted Sun January 3, 2021 10:18amReport post

Lee1969 and Annie1969

your answers and comments have been very helpful to me.

The part about registering with SOR straight after magistrates helps me see how quickly this will all kick in.

Due to covid we have been in a protective bubble as not had to deal with the reality of actions as a result of this yet! But this week it is going to get very real!
At least I can prepare myself for that



Take care both of you, I hate that we are all caught up in this horrible mess

KDLB

Member since
April 2020

27 posts

Posted Thu January 7, 2021 4:22pmReport post

Just an update for you

Magistrates was today ended up being via video link from home

As you guys had said it is referred to crown court and we know have to wait for a date that could be up to 8 weeks

He has to register at police station onto Sex Offenders register in the next 3 days

He will have probation officer contact to do an assessment

It has been a hard day for me today the reality of being married to a sex offender !
ultimately he's not a bad person just got caught up in the world of porn that led to this, he's not interested in children at all and is full of remorse
it is my choice to stay but never would have chosen this and we still have crown court to deal with too!

mjl73

Member since
August 2019

240 posts

Posted Thu January 7, 2021 9:35pmReport post

You are correct in your thinking that he's a good man that did something wrong. Most of the men are.

After he has been to register be prepared to get a visit or a call from his assigned risk manager. My husband wasn't living with me when he first registered and to suddenly find 2 plain clothed police officers on my door step did catch me off guard. It was explained to me that because he has disclosed my address when asked they needed to ensure that I was aware of the whole situation. Obviously like you, I was, but I'm sure there can be people who try to hide this for whatever reason or downplay it and don't tell their partners the whole truth.

My husband was sentenced nearly 18 months ago. While it takes a while to get used to the requirements that come with being on the register, and any SHPO that he may get come sentencing, and the regular police visits. It will settle down into a new normal. Lockdown last year definitely helped me get over a lot of the paranoia of bumping into people etc, because no-one was about.

Claire7878

Member since
July 2020

31 posts

Posted Fri January 8, 2021 7:22pmReport post

Hi husband was sentenced today for iioc in magistrates court. Not sure if it is anything to do with COVID but had his pre sentence a beginning of December and they agreed to sentence him in magistrates . He received a community order with a shopo. I think the solicitor was a bit shocked it wasn't going to crown as well.

take care

Amethyst

Member since
September 2023

25 posts

Posted Thu February 29, 2024 7:06pmReport post

Hi all



Can anyone help!

Partner was arrested in April 2023 for IIOC.

Hes moved out at the request SS with bail conditions set at not to be left alone with anyone under 18 years of age.

He was sacked from his job in September.

Weve had the letter that bail is due to end in April 2024.





Partner has unfortunately confessed that they would find images which they have.



I am 20 weeks pregnant, due in July 2024.

What do you think he is looking at, I've not asked but hope he plans to plead guilty but are concerned about police. They believe he was leader of chats due to his knowledge in IT and it and to encode things. He has assured me this is not the case .



Many thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated

edel2020

Member since
March 2022

375 posts

Posted Fri March 1, 2024 11:05amReport post

Amethyst

At the moment, with prisons full, it's unlikely there would be a prison sentence just for images. But it will all come down to the judge on the day, so you cannot assume anything at this stage.

As for anything else, it depends what he is actually charged with. Once you know the charges, then it's easier to predict what the sentence will be. I'm sorry to say that asking your OH what he has done probably won't help you, because the men will always downplay their actions, due to the enormous shame they feel.