"Day off" Week 7 2020

As noted in the past the luxury of a proper day off is not always possible and this has been one of those weeks. I have had to stagger things. So I went to the cinema on Monday evening (and saw A beautiful day in the neighbourhood - more on that later) and also watched a good lot of TV the next evening. The bulk of Tuesday was spent (mostly) in the waiting room of a suite of law courts as a member of the church was involved in a hearing there. I was in the court room at one point but only briefly. I enjoyed fellowship with a fellow minister, a member of the church and relatives of the church member who had to be in the hearing. I also got a little reading done (Steve Turner on The Titanic).

Criminal justice system

One of my sons and I had another chance to see the criminal justice system up close again yesterday. This is following he theft of an i-pod last bonfire night at Primrose Hill. The two suspects decided for trial and so we had to get ourselves down to Highbury Magistrates Court. Security is rightly tight and airport style. having got through that we were shown the court where the trial was to take place. We were then put into a private room with other witnesses (it was quite a crime spree that night). As it turned out the ring leader decided to plead guilty in the end and so my son didn't have to go into the court, which he was pleased about. I think the others did testify but we did not hang around to see that (in a youth court there is no access for the general public). This ring leader, despite hissize, turned out to be only 15. He owned up to more than one charge and asked for others to be taken into account. Of course, turning up and being willing to testify was important even though it didn't go that far. it's hard work catching criminals and presoecuting them but it is done fairly and efficiently and that is something to be thankful for. Let's just hope that this young man will learn his lesson and somehow make a freh start. I'm sure it won't be easy.

This and that

The younger boys were dressed up for school again today. Last Friday it was St David's Day waistcoats and breeches and today they were Sirius Black and Dennis the Menace for World Book Day.

As for me this week has included rare visits to the hospital and (even rarer) the magistrates court. Someone I know had got in trouble with the law and wanted some moral support as he faced the magistrates. That went off as well as could be expected. One of the ladies I visit fortnightly at Spring Court had fallen and broken her hip when a motorised contraption had hit her while in the bank on Monday. They seem to be looking after her very well in the Royal Free.

There's plenty to complain about in this country but certainly some things work as they should. In the first case the detection and justice seemed to work well and in the second the doctors, nurses and therapists seemed to be working well to aid recovery. We have a lot to be thankful for in the UK.