Court judge judges court

While the spotlight of a courtroom is usually on the offenders standing in the dock, one judge was taken aback by the ‘‘horrible’’ dock itself.

‘‘Has anybody got a chainsaw?’’ quipped Judge Philippa Cunningham as she presided over a busy morning in courtroom one of New Plymouth District Court yesterday.

She had become distracted by the dock – commanding in nature, with its timber base and glass topping – as an offender entered it.

The judge was quick to advise the man his appearance did not require he stand in the box, and ordered him out quick smart.

‘‘I’d hate to stand in that dock,’’ she curiously stated, clearly unimpressed by its decor.

‘‘It’s a horrible dock...something needs to be done about it.’’

Defence lawyer Nathan Bourke, upright, ready to address Cunningham on behalf of his client, instead led her imagination to the condition of the ‘‘less desirable’’ bathrooms at the courthouse, which holds three courtrooms all boasting docks similar in style.

The off topic exchange garnered laughs from a packed gallery, and a mixture of head scratches and smirks from the counsel and court workers present. Tongue-in-cheek, Cunningham advised the staffers ‘‘get together’’ to write a letter to the Ministry of Justice to order a cosmetic upgrade of the dock in courtroom one.

Quick to reveal the depths of the Ministry’s questionable design decisions, lawyer Julian Hannam stood to inform the judge of the dock’s history. He said it was the same design as the Whanganui District Court’s, but with slight cosmetic differences. Most of the docks at provincial courthouses were similar, and all fairly hardfeatured, he said.

Bourke pulled the attention back to the hearing of his client, who had remained quietly stood at the dock’s side, not daring to enter. About two years ago, New Plymouth District Court underwent a multi-million dollar upgrade. Unfortunately, the docks were not included in the makeover.