Telford students take part in Mock Trial competition finals
Pupils from a Telford school are on their way to a national finals after winning both the local and regional competitions.
A team of 15 students from the Hadley Learning Community will be one of 16 schools across England, Wales and Northern Ireland that will descend upon Nottingham today to participate in the national final of the 19th annual National Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial Competition.
Students will prosecute and defend two cases, both involving the controversial law of joint enterprise – where a person can be found guilty by being present at the scene of the crime.
The first case involves a retired army officer caught up a pub brawl and the second involves the robbery of a smart phone.
The 16 teams of students aged 12-14 have all progressed through the local and regional heats involving approximately 6,000 young people from over 370 state-funded secondary schools.
Students take on the roles of lawyers, witnesses, magistrates and court staff and compete against other schools in real courtrooms, as prosecution and defence.
Their performances will be judged by real magistrates and legal professionals.
Dr Gill Eatough, Principal at HLC, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that our team of students has reached the national finals, a first for a school in Telford and Wrekin.
“They have worked extremely hard which has already been rewarded with their wins in both the local and regional competition and I know they will do well in the national competition tomorrow.
“The students are fine ambassadors for HLC and I wish them the best of luck.”
