Our criminals are never court out by COVID-19

COVID-19 times have certainly been devastating with only workers in jobs deemed “essential services” allowed to continue for a while there.

Those working in essential services have had to plug away through these virus-inspired times but I’d never seen crime as a part of “essential services”.

Yet, attending arrest court each day, I can say that our dedicated offenders are still at it – virus or no virus.

Some might even say offenders too are a virus which inflicts itself on an unsuspecting community.

However, if nothing else, offenders keep the police and courts working, though not quite as we’re used to.

I’ve been covering our courts for some 25 years now but I’ve never seen it like this.

For the first few weeks of the lockdown, the Magistrates Court, usually a hive of bustling and whispers, contained just three people – the magistrate, a clerk and a grumpy old journo sitting alone in the public gallery.

It even made the announcement of “All rise!” as the magistrate enters the court a little redundant, although I was appreciative of the exercise.

Standing up and then sitting back down is about as much as my level of fitness will permit these days.

All the prosecutors, solicitors and their clients had to appear by phone on what is known as a “chorus line”.

I always thought a chorus line was a musical performance on stage and, though I’ve seen some defendants dance around questions, I’m yet to hear any musical accompaniment on the court’s chorus line.

During one hearing in the Murri Court, there were 10 people on the same line including the magistrate, solicitors, prosecutor, probation and parole, elders and the defendant.

As chaotic as that sounds, somehow all concerned got through the matter with limited confusion.

But I couldn’t help thinking this was a bit like Justice by Telstra.

The courthouse has hand sanitisers everywhere which, remarkably, haven’t been stolen … yet!

Even though in recent weeks more people are being allowed back into the courtroom, the court still maintains a strict 10-person limit at any one time and there are areas that are roped off with black-and-yellow tape to keep those people apart.

Entering the courtroom these days is a bit like walking into a police crime scene.

However, although COVID-19 restrictions are being eased all the time, with a plethora of cases adjourned to July, one can only imagine how the restrictions on gathering will work then.

It won’t be possible to have that many people in the Hume St courthouse at the one time and still maintain the 1.5m social distancing requirements.

One answer might be to have all the defendants and their legal representatives gather in Frog’s Hollow down the road at the corner of Margaret and Hume Sts and call them into the court one or two at a time.

Being swooped upon by the infamous dive-bombing Queens Park magpies could be considered an addition to the penalty which would appropriately be taken into account by the magistrate at sentence.

After all, justice should be simply black and white.

ENTERING THE COURTROOM THESE DAYS IS A BIT LIKE WALKING INTO A POLICE CRIME SCENE.