Top Shelf* Criminal Barrister @5sahlaw. Former Solicitor. Salter. Part of Very Sensible Twitter. Tweets with typos a speciality.

Joined November 2011
964 Photos and videos
Oliver Kirk retweeted
Good afternoon from Derby Crown Court where a female defendant has just told a judge: "I'm admitting everything, duck, you'll always get a guilty plea from me, darling."
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Anyone else preparing to cry at #repairshop ? You know it is going to happen...
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
13 Jan 2021
Ten months into pandemic, three waves in, and north London’s only magistrates’ court has two (of eight?) court rooms equipped for remote hearings.
Senior judge at Highbury Corner mags says they can only do virtual hearings in 2 of their courtrooms - everyone must be prepared to attend court as their tech set-up is limited. Highbury is a crowded court in normal times - how are its virtual facilities still so limited?
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
- mummy, what happens to all the homework i do now i’m home schooling? - would you believe me if i said the ‘education elves’ take it away every day...?
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
NATIONAL LOCKDOWN IMPORTANT NOTE FROM HHJ BIRD, DCJ GREATER MANCHESTER Until further notice, unless the interests of justice require otherwise, hearings will be dealt with remotely or as hybrid hearings. FULL DETAILS 👇 dropbox.com/s/w0iemzemnh7r0v…

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Oliver Kirk retweeted
12 Jan 2021
We advise our members that it is not safe to continue to attend Magistrates’ courts . We set out urgent measures needed to be introduced by @HMCTSgovuk to ensure that the CJS can continue to operate without lives being placed at risk . lccsa.us3.list-manage.com/tr…
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
All criminal defence lawyers are infuriated about the lack of cleanliness, Covid secure standards and policies on attending in person in Court. Adjourning cases and appearing via CVP goes against our financial interests, but we demand it. Health is more important than money!
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
It is very disappointing to hear the chair of the @MagsAssoc giving evidence to Parliament and suggesting that junior barristers are lying about their experiences of Covid in the magistrates’ courts. This, I regret to say, exemplifies the problem. parliamentlive.tv/event/inde…

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Oliver Kirk retweeted
1/ Gentle reminder that solicitors are officers of the court. We take that role seriously. If we say we are not feeling safe in magistrates' courts, it's with good reason. What would be the motive to lie about this? We are literally risking our livelihoods, our reputations and
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
Trouble is, the bigwigs at HMCTS don't have to deal with people in the cells as the cells environment is not controlled by HMCTS (it's under HMPPS). Plus those working for HMCTS get paid sick leave if they become ill through catching Covid from work... lawgazette.co.uk/news/hmcts-…
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Which supermarkets were allowing shoppers without masks? I haven't seen maskless shoppers for months.
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Almost everyone I know at the Bar would attend in these circumstances...thinking they were safe..when they weren't.
I could have attended via CVP. But, my client was being produced and the case was very serious. I felt it my duty to attend. I understood it would be safe to do so.
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
No new trials for 28 days, then review. The HMCTS stance and silence of the LCJ is bordering on negligent.
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Stay at home Has not permiated HMCTS where you now have queue round the block before getting into a supposedly covid secure building.
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Where, if you are a barrister, you can sit in a cell with a covid positive defendant for 30 minutes, like @DottyOils did today.
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
Conference with my client in the cells at 1.30pm today. Sentence called on at 3pm. Case promptly adjourned because my client had been returned to prison following a positive result for Covid. And it is safe for me to go to work?! @HMCTSgovuk @WCWF_ @TheCriminalBar @MAM12CP
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Oliver Kirk retweeted
Am hearing Chelmsford prison has gone into lockdown which could stop prisoners appearing on live link for court and legal visits....is this correct?
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