lazar
02-08-2005, 03:11 PM
2:09pm (UK)
Judge Sentences Bankruptcy Offender in Phone Call
By Alison Purdy, PA
A man was sentenced by a judge over the phone when he became stuck in a traffic jam, it emerged today.
Aftab Ahmed, 44, of Summers Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday to be sentenced for an offence relating to his bankruptcy.
But miles of tailbacks resulting from a crash on the A14 prevented him from getting to court on time.
He phoned his lawyer Kevin McCarthy to explain the reason for his delay and when the information was passed to Judge Caroline Ludlow she said she was considering sentencing him over the phone.
After consulting law books she said she did not know of a reason why she should not pass sentence over the phone as she was not handing down a custodial sentence.
Court clerk Rachel Bonner said Mr McCarthy phoned Mr Ahmed to make sure he was happy with the unusual situation and to check he was not driving.
After hearing mitigation, Judge Ludlow phoned Mr Ahmed on his mobile phone from a telephone in court and sentenced him to a 140-hour community punishment order and ordered him to pay £750 costs.
Ms Bonner said: “When she heard of the problem the judge said that to save wasting public money by adjourning the case she was considering passing sentence over the phone.
“She asked the prosecution counsel if he could think of any reason in law why she couldn’t and when no reason was offered she went ahead.”
Ms Bonner said she thought it was one of the first times anyone had been sentenced over the phone.
“It’s very unusual. I’ve never heard of it before and it’s never happened at Ipswich Crown Court,” she said.
Mr Ahmed had earlier admitted failing to explain to the official receiver the loss of £22,500 between the presentation of his bankruptcy petition in November 2002 and the start of his bankruptcy in June 2003.
Judge Sentences Bankruptcy Offender in Phone Call
By Alison Purdy, PA
A man was sentenced by a judge over the phone when he became stuck in a traffic jam, it emerged today.
Aftab Ahmed, 44, of Summers Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday to be sentenced for an offence relating to his bankruptcy.
But miles of tailbacks resulting from a crash on the A14 prevented him from getting to court on time.
He phoned his lawyer Kevin McCarthy to explain the reason for his delay and when the information was passed to Judge Caroline Ludlow she said she was considering sentencing him over the phone.
After consulting law books she said she did not know of a reason why she should not pass sentence over the phone as she was not handing down a custodial sentence.
Court clerk Rachel Bonner said Mr McCarthy phoned Mr Ahmed to make sure he was happy with the unusual situation and to check he was not driving.
After hearing mitigation, Judge Ludlow phoned Mr Ahmed on his mobile phone from a telephone in court and sentenced him to a 140-hour community punishment order and ordered him to pay £750 costs.
Ms Bonner said: “When she heard of the problem the judge said that to save wasting public money by adjourning the case she was considering passing sentence over the phone.
“She asked the prosecution counsel if he could think of any reason in law why she couldn’t and when no reason was offered she went ahead.”
Ms Bonner said she thought it was one of the first times anyone had been sentenced over the phone.
“It’s very unusual. I’ve never heard of it before and it’s never happened at Ipswich Crown Court,” she said.
Mr Ahmed had earlier admitted failing to explain to the official receiver the loss of £22,500 between the presentation of his bankruptcy petition in November 2002 and the start of his bankruptcy in June 2003.