A VETERAN judge has slammed criminals who appear before him in court in Gloucester, saying they “lack respect”.

Recorder Alun Jenkins QC has issued a warning that defendants who refuse to show his court respect and call him Sir or Your Honour will be locked up.

He spoke out at Gloucester Crown Court where he lamented the casual, insolent behaviour of many young defendants these days.

The distinguished barrister, who has had 40 years at the bar and has been sitting as a part-time judge since 1993, was prompted into his indignant diatribe by the behaviour of joyrider Junior Tranter, 24.

Tranter, of Southgate Street, Gloucester, was before the recorder on Monday to be punished for breaching a suspended jail and unpaid work order imposed for taking his stepfather’s car and driving it dangerously.

Recorder Jenkins told Tranter he would give him a chance to change his ways and comply with the order properly.

He added an extra 14 hours unpaid work to the sentence as punishment for the lapse.

“No messing about,” said the recorder. “You will do it or you will go to prison. Got it?”

“Yep,” replied Tranter as he stood in the dock with a sweatshirt over his head but his arms outside it.

Recorder Jenkins told him: “Yes is the word, not yep, you are speaking to the court. Do you understand?

Breach

“You come back to me for another breach and you will be joining all the other people inside. Do you follow?”

Tranter replied with what sounded like another “yep”.

Recorder Jenkins said “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

Having reflected overnight on Tranter’s demeanour, Recorder Jenkins addressed barristers in his court yesterday and asked them to circulate the message that he would not be so tolerant of disrespectful behaviour in future.

“What I observed yesterday was a defendant who appeared to me to be insolent,” he said.

“I haven’t got such a power in this court but there is clearly a lack of respect going on which needs to be addressed.

“When you bow to me you bow to the Queen because this is her court and I demand respect for it.

“Defendants will call me Sir or Your Honour. I don’t mind which because I don’t stand on ceremony.

“But they will show respect. I would like you to pass that down to all advocates and defendants.

“Any lack of respect will result in the case being put back with the defendant put in custody to consider his position.

“You can tell your clients outside what they are going to meet when they come in.”

Recorder Jenkins’ words were echoed by senior barrister Michael Mather-Lees.

“This is something that has crept in and you see it in other court centres as well,” he said.

An article in the Gloucestershire Echo and on www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk on August 4 inaccurately reported the comments of a Recorder sitting at Gloucester Crown Court. 

The article wrongly stated Recorder Alun Jenkins QC had said all defendants would be required to bow when they entered the court. 

In fact, the Recorder actually said – as we also reported – that defendants should address him as “Sir” or “Your Honour”. 

His comments about bowing did not relate to defendants but to the respect routinely demonstrated by legal professionals for Her Majesty's courts.

We are happy to make the position clear and apologise for the error.