ICEMAN FEELS HEAT

HAS the Gold Coast found its Judge Judy?

The city’s newest magistrate, Pamela Dowse, took a no-nonsense approach to her first case in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday as she told off a defendant who appeared before her on charges involving drugs and unlawful use of motor vehicles.

The man – described in court by his defence lawyer as an ice addict – was still able to walk free on probation, but observers would have found the dressing down interesting, if not refreshing.

Describing him as an absolute idiot and an impost on the system, Ms Dowse told the man to wake up to himself and then, as he skulked out of the courtroom, she delivered a final verbal boot up the backside: “Don’t come back!’’ If he does, it’s jail. Full stop. He’s been warned.

If Magistrate Dowse keeps this up, she will find the Gold Coast warming to her very quickly.