The Court Case - Part 1

Monday was in many ways the most stressful day of my life.

On 30th November last year, my brother Jake and his best friend Chris were involved in an unprovoked attack on Queensway in Southampton. They were set upon by 3 younger men, who at this time cannot be named for legal reasons. The CPS decided that the event should come to trial, and Monday marked what would have been the first day of a week-long trial.

Mum, myself and Phil travelled down to the Crown Courts by Bus (Phil and I had stayed over at his folks' house in Stubbington and met Mum on the 73 Bus that morning). I felt genuinely sick with nerves and desperately worried for the boys, as were Mum and Phil to be fair.

I think the most horrible part was when we twigged who the people were milling around outside the doors to court number 4: the three young men - two twins and their mate, it transpired - and their assorted parents and friends, quite a crowd. A more sorry lot of bottom-feeding chavs I have never seen, to be honest. Suddenly, these cretins who had smashed my brother's face and broken his jaw, had attacked Chris for no more reason other than the fact that he was out running, were REAL people, faces to the descriptions in my brother's recounting of that night in November. They all looked like genuinely nasty pieces of work - long before they had any idea who the three of us were, one of the young women with them and one of the men were giving me and Phil the most appalling dirty looks. I doubt they see many guys with dreads and Gothic girls, both very smartly dressed, in their particular 'hoods. She herself was wearing what must have been her very best outfit, comprising of a bright red Von Dutch hoody, cropped jeans, more bling than a Saturday market stall in Walthamstow and lots of lip liner. The boys weren't much better themselves, using smirks and swaggers to hide the nerves that I think they must have been feeling. Even sat in the dock, they slumped and smirked, not making eye contact with the court officials or the Judge, but grinning at their entourage and eyeballing me once or twice. I just started calmly straight back at them, my insides churning.

I won't go into all the details, but there were some really difficult moments when the injuries and how they were allegedly inflicted were described. I was so conscious of my heart pounding in my chest, and of Mum and Phil's hands in mine, occasionally squeezing when things were really bad. I know that it might well seem cut and dried from the outside - 2 young men attacked by 3 others, serious injuries inflicted, the perpetrators should have to pay. Of course, we all know that justice doesn't always run like that, especially when they alleged that they were acting out of self-defence and that Jake and Chris were the instigators. The next potential hurdle was the fact that one was only 16 when the crime occurred, so his representative was pushing to have him tried in Youth Court instead - allowing much more lenient punishment - but the Judge wasn't having any of it.

In the end, the three decided at the last minute to plead guilty to the charges of ABH, GBH and GBH with Intent (correct me if I am wrong, I may have muddled those with the stress of the day!), and they will be sentenced on 1st September. The Judge warned them to prepare for custodial sentences - and let me say - too fucking right.

We were reunited with Jake and Chris after the court had been dismissed and there were tears and hugs and thanks all round. Seriously, a weight had been lifted from everyone and we could all breath again - I was gasping for a ciggy!

Now all we have to do is wait for the 1st and see what happens. I'm really hopeful that they get what they deserve! Watch this space for details.