An Advertiser & Times reporter was thrown out of a Lyndhurst
court by a New Forest magistrate for drinking water out of a bottle.
Steve
Deeks, who has taken his trusty bottle into the same court for the past
two years, said he was “completely shocked” when, as he was taking a
sip, the presiding magistrate, Sarah Locock, shouted: “You at the back
there, what do you think you are doing drinking water from that bottle?
This is not a refreshment centre. Go and take the bottle outside now.”
Deeks said: “One minute I was looking down my nose and the next minute the whole courtroom was looking at me.
“After
about 30 seconds of the magistrate staring at me, the legal adviser
prompted me to leave the courtroom. Solicitors drink water from jugs
but I think, technically, we are not supposed to.
“I think I was covering a drink driving case a the time – nothing as serious as drinking water in a court.”
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