Theatre of Law Crown Court Mock Trial The Highwayman Script Theatre of Law Crown vs Douglas Terrapin Name of Crown Court : Royal Courts of Justice. Date .7th December 2015 Clerk: All rise. Judge enters and sits down Judge: Please be seated. Everyone in court bows and sits down Clerk: Good day, Your Honour, good day members of the court. Your Honour, this morning we have the case of Douglas Terrapin before you. May I proceed? Judge: Please do. Clerk: Will the defendant please stand. Are you Douglas Terrapin? Defendant: Yes, I am. Clerk: You are charged with robbery and attempted robbery. Do you plead guilty or not guilty? Defendant: Not guilty Theatre of Law Judge: Very well, Prosecution, please begin your case. Prosecution: I would like to call my first witness, Mrs Cambridge. Clerk: Call Mrs Cambridge The Court Usher leads witness one up to the witness stand and reads them the oath Usher: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Mrs Cambridge: I do Prosecution: What happened to you that night, Mrs Cambridge? Mrs Cambridge: Well, shortly after the carriage stopped, I looked out of the window and heard a voice shouting, The next thing I knew, I had my necklace grabbed from around my neck and my precious purse containing over £500 was stolen too. Prosecution: How do you know that the person who robbed you is Douglas Terrapin? Mrs Cambridge: I know it was him because I’d recognize that voice anywhere. The voice ~I heard today in court is the same voice that said ‘Stand and deliver’ and threatened to kill me if I didn’t hand over my money and jewels. Prosecution: Thank you. I have no more questions for this witness, your Honour. Theatre of Law Judge: Very well. Defence, do you have any questions for the witness? Defence: You say, Mrs Cambridge, that the necklace was grabbed from around your neck. Furthermore, I notice from your witness statement that you say you were left with a nasty purple mark on your neck. But surely the necklace must have broken to have left such a mark, and yet the necklace given to Bess by the defendant was I perfect condition. How can you explain this? Mrs Cambridge: Well, I…er…..I don’t know. All I can tell you is that he must have fixed it before he gave it to her. Judge: Thank you, you may step down. Please continue Prosecution. Witness leaves the stand Prosecution: I would like to call my next witness, PC Brooks. Clerk: Call PC Brooks The Court Usher leads witness two up to the witness stand and reads them the oath Usher: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? PC Brooks: I do. Theatre of Law Prosecution: You were with your colleagues in a carriage that also got held up by the defendant. Is the man who stands accused the same man you arrested that night, PC Brooks? PC Brooks: Yes sir. He is wearing the same red velvet coat and French cockedhat that he wore that night and who was also seen by my fellow police officers. Prosecution: Did you feel in danger at any point? PC Brooks: Well yes…yes I did. You see he had a pistol which he was waving in the air and a rapier too. Prosecution: Thank you. I have no further questions. Judge: Defence, do you wish to question this witness? Defence: Did this man actually rob you or was he perhaps an innocent man, out on his horse with weapons to protect himself with, after all, there are dangers men around at that time? PC Brooks: No sir, he didn’t rob us, but only because we were able to overpower him. And we also saw Mrs Cambridge on the road that night too. We heard her screams as we were being held up. I don’t think that is a coincidence. Defence: So, he didn’t rob you and you can’t say for certain that he was the man who robbed Mrs Cambridge. No further questions your honour. Judge: Thank you, please leave the stand. Prosecution, please call your final witness. Theatre of Law Witness two leaves the stand. Prosecution: My final witness is Tim the ostler. Clerk: Call Tim the ostler. The Court Usher leads witness three up to the witness stand and reads the oath Usher: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Tim: I do. Prosecution: Did you see anything suspicious that night? Tim: Yes, I watched him ride to Bess’s window, kiss her and give her a necklace. They were whispering, but I’m sure he said he’d be back later and that he had something to do first. Prosecution: I see. And why do you think that it was the defendant who committed the crime? Theatre of Law Tim: Because I saw his rapier glinting in the moonlight and the jewels on the butt of his pistol. Why else would he have such weapons if he wasn’t a criminal? And where was he going so late in the night? He must have been going to commit a robbery. Prosecution: I have no more questions for this witness, Your Honour. Judge: Defence, is there anything you need to ask this witness? Defence: Tim. I suggest that you are not a trustworthy witness. Firstly, you were spying on a young couple who are in love. I also suggest that you were angry because you too were in love with Bess. Is this whole story you are telling us made up to get rid of the man who is your rival? Tim: I admit, sir, that I am in love and I was angry, but I would not lie in a court of law. I saw what I saw. He had a red velvet coat and a French cocked-hat with weapons on a horse in the middle of the night, the same night Mrs Cambridge was robbed. Judge: Very well. You may return to your seat. Defence, please begin your case now. Witness three leaves the stand. Defence: Thank you. I would like to call my first witness, Bess, the landlord’s daughter. Clerk: Call Bess, the landlord’s daughter. The Court Usher leads witness four up to the witness stand and reads the oath Theatre of Law Usher: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Witness four: I do. Defence: What type of a necklace was it that your boyfriend gave to you? Bess: It was a beautiful diamond necklace which was a token of our love and it was in good condition, sir. Defence: And why did he give it to you? Bess: Because we are in love and want to get married sir. It was a symbol of his love and I know he wouldn’t risk doing anything silly to risk us having a life together. Judge: Prosecution, have you got any questions to direct towards this witness? Prosecution: Yes your honour. So…Bess, what job does this man do to be able to afford such jewels? Theatre of Law Bess: Erm…well, I don’t really know sir, but I know it must be something important. We…we have never really talked about jobs, just what we’ll do when we’re together and how we will spend the rest our lives. Judge: Thank you. You may be seated. Please continue, Defence. Witness four leaves the stand. Defence: My next witness is Mrs Brown (Mr Terrapin’s sister). Clerk: Call Mrs Brown. The Court Usher leads witness five up to the witness stand and reads the oath Usher: Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Mrs Brown: I do. Defence: You have known your brother all your life. Tell me, what type of a man is he? Theatre of Law Mrs Brown: A good man sir. He was always a well-behaved boy. He was shy and didn’t have many friends, but his family loved him. He was devastated when our parents died and he swore an oath to them that he’d lead a good a wholesome life. His uncle helped look after him after our loss so he has always had someone looking out for his well-being. Defence: And how has he seemed to you lately? Mrs Brown: Well, he has been writing letters to me in Scotland and telling me all about this lovely girl he’s in love with. He seems besotted with her and want to marry her, if her father will permit it. He is respectful and honest and is frightened in case he refuses. Oh, I so hope he marries and settles down with her. He seems happier than he has ever been since our tragic loss Defence: I see. I have nothing more to ask of this witness. Prosecution: Can you explain why his uncle – a suspected highwayman himself – was training him to use weapons, Mrs Brown? Mrs Brown: Firstly, it was never proved. The highwayman story was a vicious rumour. And yes, he trained him so that he could protect himself against robbers and thieves. Prosecution: No further questions, Your Honour. Judge: Thank you, please leave the stand. Please make your closing statement to the court. Witness five leaves the stand. Theatre of Law Prosecution: It is without doubt that Douglas Terrapin is guilty. He was seen at both crime scenes with his very recognisable clothing and his trademark weapons, both of which are very distinctive. Not only has he been recognised by his clothes, but also his voice, which was heard by all witnesses, and which they confirm is the voice used today when he pleaded not guilty. Finally, he was seen by Tim the ostler giving Bess a necklace – a necklace which was stolen only minutes earlier after being grabbed from the neck of our poor victim. Douglas is a guilty man and he should pay for his terrible crimes. Judge: Thank you. Defence, if you could share your closing statement. Defence: Douglas Terrapin is a gentleman, a gentleman who is in love and about to embark on a life together with his true love, Bess. The necklace he gave her was not broken, as it would surely have been if grabbed from someone’s neck. He is a man of good character who has no previous convictions against his name and a man of his word who made an oath to his parents on their deathbed. Douglas is a man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had his sword and pistol to protect himself from unscrupulous highwaymen. He is NOT a highwayman himself and should be found NOT guilty. Judge: Ladies and gentleman of the jury, we have heard a range of strong evidence in court today. It is up to you to decide whether the defendant is guilty of the crime. Consider the evidence you have heard today carefully before making your decision. Remember, to find the defendant guilty you must believe that the evidence you have heard shows them to be Theatre of Law guilty beyond all reasonable doubt. Would the jury please stand and follow the Usher out of court. The NCCL facilitator will freeze the action here. The jury and remaining students should discuss what they think the final verdict should be and what sentence the defendant should receive if found guilty. Clerk: All stand Everyone stands while the jury return to their seats. Judge: Have the jury reached a decision? Foreperson: Yes, Your Honour. Judge: And do you find the defendant Guilty or Not Guilty? Foreperson: (Guilty or Not Guilty), Your Honour. If Guilty Judge: (says the defendant’s name), the jury has found you guilty as charged. I sentence you to (The judge announces their sentence and explains why they have chosen this sentence ). Theatre of Law If Not Guilty Judge: (says the defendant’s name), the jury has found you not guilty. You are free to go. Court dismissed.