Family and Friends Forum

Lis

Member since
November 2019

40 posts

Posted Sat March 27, 2021 8:20amReport post

It has been 1 year and 11 months since the knock. My husband was seen in Magistrate Court in October 2020. He pleaded guilty and was told he would be seen in Crown Court within 2 months.

He got a letter in November with a court day in December. That one was then postponed to January. We then got Covid so the court day in January was postponed to February. February cour day was then postponed to March.

The day before the Court day in March his solicitor called him at 5pm and informed him that the day had been postponed again due to them not receiving a pre sentence report. He has not been given a probation officer yet so no one is dealing with his case. How can this happen?


For every time his day is postponed we both get more down. Will it ever be an end to this. We both have health problem and my husband now has a heart problem as well. This waiting, not knowing anything is very stressful.
Any advice welcome

Edited Sat March 27, 2021 8:21am

majestictopaz15

Member since
December 2019

371 posts

Posted Sat March 27, 2021 11:00amReport post

Hi lis. I personally have not seen so many postponed sentencing dates and I assume coivd has a play in this. Seems ridiculous that a pre sentence report is not ready yet. Hopefully it won't be delayed again.

The pre sentence report is important of course. Not sure what to advise really other than perhaps prepare for the worst (prison) and hope for the best. There are resources online on what to get ready for just in prison sentence is passed. Like what to pack, phone numbers needed etc.

Dottie

Member since
June 2019

236 posts

Posted Sat March 27, 2021 10:16pmReport post

Hi Lis,

I feel for you. After 22 months my husband had magistrates court where he pleaded guilty, we were given a date for crown court there and then for 4 weeks later. After such a wait in limbo we just wanted it over with. My husband has a fair few health issues too which had worsened during this stressful time. Anyway the court date was for a Monday and on the Friday at 5 pm he was told it was adjourned. He was given a date for another 4 weeks later but on a Tuesday. His barrister said that because it wasn't a Monday this particular date would go ahead due to the fact they don't know what will be carried over from the previous Friday, which makes a Monday court date more likely to be adjourned if that makes sense. Anyway thankfully the date was kept and we finally got through to the other side.
I think it's horrendous you have been messed around so much and make sure your husbands barrister makes it clear about the added stress this has caused.

I wish you well. Keep strong your almost there. Xxxx

Edited Sat March 27, 2021 10:24pm

Lis

Member since
November 2019

40 posts

Posted Mon March 29, 2021 5:59pmReport post

Thank you both. Great sharing Dottie. I was wondering if anyone else had been postponed. Today it has been 5 working days since he should have been to court and we have heard nothing from them or his solicitor

Lis

Member since
November 2019

40 posts

Posted Sat April 17, 2021 8:08amReport post

Update. It is now 4 working days until my husband should be seen in Crown Court again because it was postponed a month due to no pre-sentence report had been done. We have heard nothing. No letter from the Court and no email from his solicitor. What do we do now? I haven't got a clue.

whyus

Member since
May 2019

56 posts

Posted Sun April 18, 2021 1:22amReport post

Oh goodness. Definitely call and call the solicitors on Monday morning to find out. You could also try to call the court or his PO possibly to find out if it is going ahead this next week. Personally if it was my OH I'd be advising him to turn up at court on the day and time he's been given if you can't get hold of anyone. Better to be safe than sorry. I hope you're holding up ok x

Lis

Member since
November 2019

40 posts

Posted Sun April 18, 2021 7:04amReport post

Thanks Whyus

The problem is, my husband has not received a letter or phone call from the Court or his solicitor saying the day and time of the Court. It can also be one of tre possible courts because of where we live. Also he hasn't got a PO. He had one a year ago but this man changed job and he has not been given a new one. It sort of feels like no one really care about moving forward with his case and that leaves us not knowing anything.

whyus

Member since
May 2019

56 posts

Posted Sun April 18, 2021 3:36pmReport post

Oh wow what a mess! I'd definitely try all day tomorrow to get hold of his solicitor or maybe call the officer in charge of the case at the police station. I'm not too sure what else to advise unfortunately. I feel terrible for you to not only be put into this situation but then to have no closure or consistency! It must be so stressful. Make sure you take time to yourself to try and relax

Izzy

Member since
July 2019

91 posts

Posted Mon April 19, 2021 10:38amReport post

Hi All

It is a while since I posted. After almost 2 years post knock my husband was sentenced in December 2020. He had pleaded guilty mid October and was given a sentencing date 4 weeks later. But then, about 10 days before the date his solicitor got in touch and said that the date had been cancelled and he needed to check with the solicitor or the court directly by phone every day at 4.30pm to see if the case would be dealt with the next day. This went on for about 6 weeks. It was agony and seemed never ending. At one point he was told he might not get sentenced until the New Year.

Thankfully, sentencing happened just before Christmas and it was non custodial.

There seems no rhyme of reason as to how the system works. My heart goes out to everyone caught up in this awful situation.

Izzy

Lis

Member since
November 2019

40 posts

Posted Mon April 19, 2021 5:35pmReport post

Thank you Izzy. My husband and i arr Borg beryktade stressad by the situation. The pre-sentence report came today from his solicitor and it has several mistakes in it. Dates wrong, illness not mentioned, Councelling and months of self help not mentioned. The even got our year of marriage wrong by 10 years. Have no idea what to do about that