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How to even prepare

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GreenYellow

Member since
July 2022

45 posts

Posted Tue July 12, 2022 7:17pmReport post

Post deleted by user


Edited Fri July 22, 2022 10:04pm

Distressed and pregnant

Member since
November 2020

1000 posts

Posted Tue July 12, 2022 8:44pmReport post

Hi,

I can't offer much advice around magistrates as my person was remanded. Pre sentencing report is done by probation either a meeting or a call. It is basically to assess if they think he would respond well to a probation order rather than a custodial is my understanding of it.

Please try not to worry about the media and backlash if it's reported. It very quickly becomes old news and you will make yourself ill worrying over the what ifs. Sending love to you xx

GreenYellow

Member since
July 2022

45 posts

Posted Tue July 12, 2022 10:18pmReport post

Thank you for responding and leaving such a lovely message.

I try to tell myself that getting all worked up worrying won't help because there's nothing I can do right now.

But I just feel like I need to prepare myself and my emotions for it as much as possible, and the majority of my worries are around the media.. But then I guess there is no real way that any of us can fully prepare for it and every story is different.

How long has it been since you had to go through all the court proceedings? I hope everything is as ok as it can be for you x

SAL

Member since
December 2021

895 posts

Posted Wed July 13, 2022 8:50amReport post

I didnt attended either court appearance but I understand it is relatively short. The charge is read and you state your plea.

It's normally at this point (if pleading guilty a PSR is requested). Depending on the charge you'll be told if sentencing will be at the magistrates or the crown court. Hopefully someone else will be able to confirm whether the date for the sentencing is set whilst at magistrates. From what I've seen this is usually 4 to 6 weeks after plea hearing.

Now is the time to start thinking about any practicalities that need to be put in place should your person be given a prison sentence.

Jayjay

Member since
December 2021

695 posts

Posted Wed July 13, 2022 9:16amReport post

Hi Green,

I've been thru this recently.
We arrived at magistrates an hour before, he met with solicitor and went over evidence. We went into court where the prosecution read out the worst of the evidence (described the worst images) which I was not prepared for and couldnt look at him for days after. He had to speak to confirm name address and plea.

solicitor asked if they would consider keeping sentencing in magistrates due to low number which they agreed.court was adjourned for 4 weeks to get the PSR done and a date was given on the day.

He wore a suit and me just casual. Staff quite laid back as deal with this stuff everyday. Lots of 'charcters' in football strips in waiting room, obviously regulars. No media about thankfully, there was a Map on the wall to tell you if there was media where they would be sitting, nothing you can do about it unfortunately.

he was introduced to probation who told him what would happen, they contacted him a week later and had an hour phone call to go over everything from childhood to offending where they compile the report to be sent to solicitor which recommends sentence and risk. Please note they always mimimise the sentence.

I wouldn't move out/go away post magistrates, crown may be different depending on charges etc.

any other questions please ask x

Edited Wed July 13, 2022 9:18am

GreenYellow

Member since
July 2022

45 posts

Posted Wed July 13, 2022 11:40amReport post

Post deleted by user


Edited Fri July 22, 2022 10:04pm

Distressed and pregnant

Member since
November 2020

1000 posts

Posted Wed July 13, 2022 6:25pmReport post

Hi,

It's 17 months post sentencing for us. I didn't go to court because I was in slow labour. Things are ok at the moment, we are living separately and trying to very slowly rebuild, he is struggling to find work more than either of us had realised he would tbh. He's done the engage plus course and has talking therapy. I'm in a reasonable emotional state most of the time, I still struggle with what he has done and with dealing with agencies who seem to forget that this isn't actually a tick box exercise this is my life. He has lost friends but the few he has now are so incredibly supportive of him, me and us if we choose to be an us in the future. He has only had one negative comment said to him due to the article and that was by someone I used to work with. Nothing has been said to me, I hope it stays that way but if it doesn't then I'll educate or ignore depending on the person's intelligence level xx

Jayjay

Member since
December 2021

695 posts

Posted Wed July 13, 2022 10:24pmReport post

My oh got sentenced last week in magistrates, 4 months suspended. We were told prior it defo had to go to crown as there was cat a iioc, but solicitor managed to persuade them to keep it in magistrates due to low number of cat a's. Even on the day he said they could decide that it needed to go to crown and it was very uncertain but luckily we had a good solicitor and a good understanding bench.
I am a control freak and felt unprepared and not in control leaving everything to solicitor. We did go in with an accountability statement from him and several references from family and friends which I think helped.

At the plea hearing they read out the charges and described 1 image with age from each category (the worse image) before asking him his plea. And that was about it. Solicitor did say they may or may not read description out, I thought I was prepared but I wasn't. I felt sick to the stomach x

GreenYellow

Member since
July 2022

45 posts

Posted Thu July 14, 2022 9:43pmReport post

Post deleted by user


Edited Fri July 22, 2022 10:04pm

Jayjay

Member since
December 2021

695 posts

Posted Thu July 14, 2022 11:03pmReport post

Well done, another step done.
The day after sentencing I felt really down and just exhausted, I think I was on autopilot up until that point and then things had finally come to head I could sit and sulk or whatever!
You may have seen my other post where a so called friend disclosed to other friends - if this hadn't happened I think I'd be on the road to recovery of normality, looking forward to the future, but that has set me back. I've started the inform course which is good, oh is job hunting and we will get there x