Magistrates Courts

When we visited Sutton Coldfield Magistrates' Courts. We saw a number of cases (mainly theft cases). The staff were very friendly and showed us all around the courts. Firstly they showed us into the 2 main Courtrooms, court 1 & 2. There we saw where the Magistrate's sit at the back of the room to where the public gallery is, and then in front of them is where the Court Clerk and the Usher sit. That is the same in both courts. In court 1, defendants in custody are brought up from the holding cells and are seated on the left of the court not handcuffed to the guards. Defendants not in custody take to the dock on the right of the court.…