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YOUR JUSTICE: Guilty or not guilty
A 15-year-old boy has been remanded in custody and is due to appear in Youth Court charged with burglary. Will you find him guilty or not guilty?
To mark 100 years of youth justice in Sheffield The Star is running a mock trial of a 15-year-old Sheffield boy who is accused of burglary.
Each day you, The Star readers, can vote to decide whether his case should progress to the next stage of the justice system.
If he is found guilty you will be able to decide whether he should go to jail or serve his sentence in the community:
Day Three: Yesterday Star readers voted more than 80 per cent in favour of remanding the youth in custody to prevent him committing further offences and give him a taste of life behind bars.
The youth is back before the Youth Court today for his trial but this time he will have the opportunity to speak.
The boy is brought up from the cells for the hearing. He is accompanied by his solicitor and an appropriate adult.
The Crown Prosecution Service lawyer outlines the case against him.
In the Youth Court the magistrates can decide whether, based on the evidence, the boy is guilty or not guilty.
If guilty, they also decide on the sentence.
The magistrates are not legally trained, they are members of the community who volunteer as magistrates.
They have a legal adviser who works with them to explain the law.
The magistrates consider all of the evidence and must decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty however, in this case the magistrates won't decide, you will.
The CPS lawyer puts the Crown's case first.
He outlines the facts of the offence. He tells the magistrates how the police attended the house and interviewed the householder and the neighbours. He explains how a suspect seen in the area at the time was wearing a tracksuit top, which was later found in the boy's home.
Magistrates are shown photographs of the muddy footprint and told an expert has analysed the tread and decided it matches the boy's trainers.
The lawyer shows the court the stolen items as exhibits. They include a mobile phone, a briefcase and an MP3 Player.
He tells the court the boy's DNA was found on the items.
The boy then gets the chance to speak, and takes an oath promising to tell the truth.
He tells the magistrates he didn't commit the burglary and can't remember where he was at the time of the burglary.
During cross-examination he admits the tracksuit top found at his property matched the description provided by witnesses but claims it was given to him by a friend.
He confirms he did touch the stolen property and therefore it is reasonable that his fingerprints would be found on it.
He tells the court a local man, who he refuses to name, was selling the items and he had a look at them but decided not to buy them.
Both the prosecution and defence lawyers sum up their cases.
Now it's up to you to decide.
• Vote: Is he guilty or not guilty? vote yes for guilty and no for not guilty.
Cast your vote in the box on the right hand side of this page.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
