Judge rebukes jurors for falling asleep and using mobile phone

A High Court judge laid into jurors for falling asleep and using a mobile phone in the middle of a trial.

Lord Uist publicly rebuked one jury member for taking full advantage of the ‘ Premium Comfort’ seating in the Odeon at Fort Kinnaird, on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

He pointed out that juror seven was “stretching back and yawning” while evidence was being led.

He told the man: “It looks as though you might be falling asleep. I have to make sure all the jurors are paying attention.”

The judge – who was presiding over a rape trial at the High Court in Livingston while the jury sat socially distanced in a cinema 25 miles away – gave another juror a ticking off for using his mobile phone in the middle of a witness’s testimony.

Unfortunately, the usual

cinema warning: “Please ensure that your mobile phone is switched off ” – which has become almost as much a part of the filmgoing ritual as buying hot dogs and popcorn – is, like the popcorn, not given to jury members.

Lord Uist also expressed sharp criticism of the same juror’s timekeeping, chiding him for delaying the start of proceedings by 17 minutes one day because his “bus was running late”.

He warned the 15 jury members that they had to ensure they allowed sufficient time for travel to take account of any possible delays in traffic or public transport.

Another juror incurred the judge’s wrath by leaving the cinema building at lunchtime, in breach of the strict rule that jurors must stay together while the court is in session.

Ironically, one of the Odeon’s selling points is its “Premium Comfort” seating.

Its we b s i t e boasts: “Every seat on every row in your cinema has been expertly designed so you can relax and recline during your film.

“With luxury reclining seats that have at least three times more legroom than standard seats, what more could you want?”

Lord Uist was presiding over a rape trial at the High Court in Livingston.