Order in the Court for a CHS Mock Trial

The day consisted of several talks in the morning with established Old Waconian experts about how trials work, followed by our own mock trial in the afternoon.

Our first talk was with former police officer, and Chair of CHS’s Alumni Board, Rod Goddard (Class of 1974) who spoke to us about the role of the police in the criminal justice system.

Rod Goddard cross-examining Mrs Barfoot

We then had a talk from the Deputy Head of Crown Court Prosecutions for the North West, Annabelle Hartley (Class of 1993), talking about the role of the CPS, followed by an advocacy workshop where we spoke about the interesting methods used by barristers in wording their questions in such a way that they achieve their desired result. I personally found it extremely interesting to understand the role of psychology in law as well as the logistics of a trial.

Before lunch we spoke to the former President of the Old Waconians’ Association, Karim Khalil QC (Class of 1980), about the work of a criminal advocate and then in the afternoon, we put this knowledge to the test with a mock trial of our own. The defendant was charged with possession of a bladed weapon in a public place and after some tense debate he was found guilty and sentenced to 4 months in jail! It was certainly a fun experience, but I also found it informative and intriguing, and I would recommend to anyone interested in politics or current affairs to investigate law as a thrilling and rewarding career path.

Ed, Year 10