02. Feb. 2010. – 12:41:38
In February 2005 Magistrates' Courts lost
the power to deal with liquor licenses ie pubs, clubs, restaurants opening
hours, suitability of licensees etc. The power was given to local authorities
with Magistrates' Courts acting as Courts of Appeal.
Since then this government against most of
the advice it received proceeded to implement its plan to turn England &
Wales into the "cafe society" common on the continent where most
people including teenagers can drink in bars and restaurants almost around the
clock without the displays of drunken anarchy found on our streets from Andover
to Yarmouth and including most towns in between.
Since then all the disease trends amongst
heavy drinkers have escalated. Binge drinking, liver disease, drunkenness
associated with criminality have appeared to be on the increase.
The Magistrates' Court, a local institution
for 650 years, is being eroded. The result of removing its powers as described
above and allowing a single District Judge to officiate at trials and high
profile cases eg Pete Doherty last week, is a signal that our days might be
numbered.
Think about it.....if you were
on trial would you prefer three local people to decide your case and if proved
to sentence you or that a single Judge performing as judge and jury took over
both these functions?
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