Brighton Law School blog

61

Advocacy at Sussex

What an amazing experience!

Well, that wasn’t my initial reaction. At first, I thought ‘This is scary! Why did I even volunteer?’ The jurors were called to the Jury meeting room and it was announced that someone was needed to act as the defendant which I volunteered to do on the condition I was allowed to be a juror at the second stage. That was of course, before I was told I needed to memorize the facts in 20 minutes. This decision put me in a more terrified state and I wished I could take it back.

As the defendant, I played the role of Marlene Vole, a 37 years old woman who was charged with infliction of poisonous substance on the victim and GBH. Briefly, the incident occurred on Marlene’s way home from work. Due to bad weather conditions she was driving at a slow speed. Suddenly an Audi driver tried to overtake, flashing his headlights, shouting and blasting his horn at her. The defendant was terrified. The driver darted out behind her without indication which sent her spinning into the hard shoulder. With a flat tire, she saw the Audi driver running towards her through her rear view mirror and he yanked her door open shouting ‘ Typical bloody woman drivers’. In self-defence, the defendant brought out a can of de-icer (which I didn’t realise was a spray to remove ice from the car and instead when I was asked why I had it, I said for protection.) and sprayed a quick burst in his face. In that moment, the driver couldn’t see and was stumbling about. The defendant noticed he was about to walk into the inside lane so she quickly pushed him away from the road but unfortunately he hit the bonnet and ended up with severe injuries.

I was called out and made to swear to speak the truth. The Judge and advocates told the claimant and defendant to speak to the Jury directly and the Law was explained at each point by the judge. Then, the blasting began because I was asked series of questions from both sides which I think I handled pretty well aside my stupid assumption about the spray of course but the Jury didn’t mind as they decided I was ‘not guilty’. That was a relief! At the end, playing the role turned out to be so much fun and the judges were grateful I took on the role last minute.

As a juror, we were asked to decide whether the defendant was guilty or not guilty on two points- Self-defence and intention to cause GBH. After deliberation, the jury decided in favour of the defendant.

This experience has given me a whole new perspective. Unlike Mooting, reference was not made to cases, instead the advocates argued and asked questions based on the facts stating the relevant statutes where necessary. Also, they provided ‘Witness Statements’ which the judge explained was admissible evidence in court. Generally, I was marvelled at how confident and relaxed the advocates looked. I am definitely interested in Advocacy and grateful to be given the opportunity to not only witness this but be part of the decision making which felt GOOD!

                                                                 Woyengitari Ikemike

                                                                         Final year LLB with Business

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Woyengitari Ikemike • 24/11/2014


Previous Post

Next Post

Comments

  1. Tommy 27/03/2025 - 1:22 am Reply

    I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone
    to do it for you? Plz respond as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would
    like to find out where u got this from. thanks a
    lot

    my site … canadian pharmacy

  2. Dee 04/04/2025 - 1:02 pm Reply

    Have you ever thought about including a little bit more than just your articles?
    I mean, what you say is fundamental and all. However think of if you
    added some great images or videos to give your posts more, “pop”!
    Your content is excellent but with images and video clips, this site could undeniably be one of
    the very best in its niche. Awesome blog!

    my site; order medicine online

  3. Laurie 06/04/2025 - 9:56 pm Reply

    In accoгdance with dermatologist Dr. Ceramides and peptides additionallly supply key
    skin-barrier support, ѡhich helps to offset detrimental
    ѕide effects fгom strong actives.

    Αlso visit my blog – eye cream

  4. Valencia 10/04/2025 - 3:38 pm Reply

    I am really happy to glance at this website posts which consists of
    tons of valuable data, thanks for providing such data.

    my page … url

  5. มาเล ย์ 4d วัน นี้ 12/04/2025 - 10:11 am Reply

    Your dedication to delivering high-quality content is evident in every word you write.มาเล ย์ 4d วัน นี้

  6. Arlen 18/06/2025 - 2:32 pm Reply

    My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was once entirely right.
    This submit actually made my day. You can not believe just how a lot time I had spent for this info!
    Thank you!

    My web page; Click This Link

  7. Shenna 20/06/2025 - 4:33 pm Reply

    Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I definitely enjoyed reading
    it, you could be a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will come back in the
    foreseeable future. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great writing, have a nice afternoon!

    Here is my web site; mounfit weight loss

  8. Rochelle 27/06/2025 - 8:17 pm Reply

    constantly i used to read smaller posts which as well clear their motive, and that is also happening with this paragraph
    which I am reading now.

    My homepage: https://www.cucumber7.com/

  9. Ethan Johnson 08/07/2025 - 12:09 pm Reply

    If you need to order the writing of essays, tests and other works, the company Allessay.org will be an excellent choice. We specialize in providing high-quality services for creating texts, whether for academic purposes, business or personal needs. All work is carried out in strict accordance with the client’s requirements and quality standards – on the site you can see examples, which will help you personally see our professionalism. We work with various topics, which makes us universal and suitable for solving a wide variety of problems. Our prices are affordable, and staged payment and privileges for VIP clients make cooperation even more convenient and profitable. We also guarantee efficiency – each order is completed on time, and the text reveals all aspects of the given topic. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call – we are ready to provide detailed advice and answer all questions.

1 2

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published / Required fields are marked *

Skip to toolbar