A taste of justice

AIDEN NG, chair of RGS's Mock Law Society, reports on how students gained first-hand courtroom experience through a prestigious pre-university enrichment programme

STUDENTS from Ripon Grammar School’s Mock Law Society have returned from a unique legal enrichment programme after being invited to attend His Honour Judge Rose’s prestigious Student Pre-University Court Exposure (SPRUCE )programme at Bradford City Hall.

The invitation followed the Society’s success at the University of Bradford Mock Trial Competition, with finalists rewarded with the opportunity to spend three days learning from judges and legal professionals while experiencing the realities of the justice system beyond the classroom.

Bringing together more than 100 aspiring lawyers from schools across the region, the programme offered an insight into both criminal and civil law through a combination of expert talks and interactive courtroom exercises.

On behalf of the Ripon Grammar students who attended, I would like to thank HHJ Rose and the many guest speakers for sharing their expertise and passion for the legal profession. Their willingness to discuss their experiences, career journeys and areas of practice made the programme both informative and inspiring. For many participants, the event strengthened ambitions to pursue careers in law and provided invaluable material for future university and apprenticeship applications.

Among the highlights of the programme was a fictional sentencing exercise that challenged students to think like judges. Rather than deciding guilt or innocence, participants were asked to determine an appropriate sentence by weighing the seriousness of the offence against the personal circumstances of each defendant.

The case involved Mr and Mrs Pine, who were robbed at knifepoint while walking through an alleyway in Bradford. After being threatened, assaulted and having several belongings stolen, the offenders were apprehended almost immediately when nearby police officers responded to Mrs Pine’s cries for help and arrested them in possession of the stolen property.

Students then examined detailed pre-sentence reports for both offenders.

The first defendant, Mohammed Hussain, aged 28, had several previous convictions for robbery involving the use of a knife. His latest offence was linked to a long-standing drug addiction that developed after a serious football injury left him unable to work enough hours to repay debts to drug dealers. However, the reports also revealed significant mitigating factors. While on remand, Hussain had engaged with education and drug rehabilitation programmes. He was the sole carer for his elderly parents and volunteered at a local mosque’s food kitchen, supporting refugees within the community.

In contrast, the second defendant, 18-year-old Adil Behazar, had no previous convictions. A refugee from Syria who had fled the devastation of Aleppo, Behazar arrived in Britain alone, speaking little English and having lost his family in the conflict. Having met Hussain through voluntary work, he was persuaded to become involved in the robbery out of misplaced loyalty. Importantly, he carried no weapon, wore no disguise and claimed to have been unaware that violence would be used. He expressed genuine remorse for his role in the offence.

The exercise prompted lively discussion among students about the aims of sentencing. Should punishment take priority? Should sentences seek to deter future offending, protect the public or focus on rehabilitation? While sentencing guidelines and previous case law provide an essential framework, students discovered that judges must also consider the unique circumstances of every offender before arriving at a just and proportionate sentence.

The discussions demonstrated that justice is rarely straightforward. Every case demands a careful balance between legal principle, public protection and compassion, making sentencing one of the judiciary’s most challenging responsibilities.

The SPRUCE programme offered an invaluable insight into these complex decisions and gave students a genuine appreciation of the responsibilities carried by those working within the justice system. It was an inspiring and thought-provoking experience that further strengthened Ripon Grammar School Mock Law Society’s enthusiasm for the study of law.