Jokes welcome first Turkish Cypriot judge to the bench
Maidstone Crown Court has welcomed a new permanent judge – the first Turkish Cypriot to sit on the bench in England and Wales.
Judge Martin Huseyin, son of a tailor who came to the UK in 1958 to escape persecution, has been elevated from Recorder to Circuit judge.
Resident Judge Jeremy Carey said Judge Huseyin, 54, went to a comprehensive school, where he did not cover himself in glory and found himself on the factory floor. But an inspirational teacher motivated him to study for A-levels and he went on to university and found he had advocacy skills.
He was called to the Bar in 1988 and was a member of the Nexus chambers of Michael Mansfield QC for 25 years, before moving to Garden Court Chambers in London in 2013.
“In the last 15 years he has been involved in heavy criminal work, more recently in major terrorism trials involving a plot to bomb the Stock Exchange,” said Judge Carey.
He said of fellow judges: “He now sits with this great galaxy of individuals. He will have a rewarding judicial career if he remains at Maidstone Crown Court. We welcome him with enthusiasm.”
Oliver Saxby QC, on behalf of the Kent Bar, said despite “gloomy talk” about the criminal justice system, Maidstone Crown Court was “in fine fettle”.
He did, however, jokingly suggest Judge Huseyin should bring with him a survival kit, in reference to the current state of the Barker Road building.
“At the heart of it lies real spirit which bucks the trend in other courts,” he said. “Among your number you have a skydiver and Harley Davidson rider – and that is just Judge (David) GriffithJones QC.”
Judge Huseyin responded: “I never expected to be here. I never expected to be a lawyer. I didn’t really expect to go on to university. I certainly didn’t expect to be the first Turkish Cypriot to be on the bench in England and Wales.
“It is an important moment for me and how I propose to do the job, because these are changing times. We have to embrace new procedures and case management and so forth.
“We have to keep our eye on the prize, remembering there are human beings at the Bar and among the defendants and witnesses.”