A north Wales law firm has teamed up with the local Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in a ground-breaking project that will show the public the true role of defence and prosecution advocates.


Wrexham firm Gwilym Hughes & Partners has taken part in a series of virtual courtroom scenarios in which the public are invited to act as magistrates, prosecutors and probation officers.



The 'Your justice' pilot shows videoed courtroom roleplays of typical magistrates court cases. Website visitors hear evidence and can then choose one of four sentencing options. They then click on 'actual result' to hear what sentence real magistrates would have given.



Gwilym Hughes solicitor Euros Jones, who played the role of defender, said the project would help to overcome the public's misconception that defence lawyers are there to help their clients get away 'scot free'. He said: '[This] is a chance for us to show our true role: advising clients on the strength of the evidence and then making representations to court.'



Jonathan Rayner