JPs forced to retire at 70 give court a little poetic justice

AFTER two decades of handing out punishments to petty criminals, two 70-year-old magistrates were well-versed in the art of poetic justice.

So when forced to retire because of their age, they fought back by reciting a poem in court attacking Britain’s ‘ageist’ justice system.

Janet Boccaccio and Margaret Holyoake had to step down after 20 years service at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court because by law magistrates must retire at 70.

The long- serving justices of the peace shocked the court when they abandoned customary farewell speeches to read out a poem together last Wednesday.

Hotelier Mrs Boccaccio began, saying: ‘Seventy, forced to retire but not quite ready. ‘I cannot appeal and cannot sue.’ Retired civil servant Mrs Holyoake then added: ‘There was once an old magistrate. Who at 70 had to accept her fate. I may not be decrepit, but open the door and I will exit.’

This was not the first time the Blackpool court had seen a display of anger from JPs about the forced retirement age limit.

Last August former magistrate Karen Henshaw made headlines by bursting into song on her final day in court, singing her own version of ‘Nobody Loves A Fairy When She’s Forty’ – changing the lyrics to ‘Nobody wants a JP when she’s 70’.

These included: ‘Nobody wants a JP when she’s 70. Nobody wants a JP when she’s old.

‘She may still have her faculties but that is not enough. They like their bit of justice from a younger bit of stuff.’

Afterwards Mrs Henshaw said she felt ‘quite able to carry on’ in her role, adding: ‘I don’t feel past it at all.

‘I do agree there has to be a cut off, but I don’t see why it can’t be at 75 rather than 70.’

The maximum age for jury service rose from 70 to 75 last year.

She was followed by magistrate Bob Barclay in November, who claimed it was ridiculous he could still ‘try a person for murder – but I can’t sit as a magistrate and decide whether someone has stolen a packet of bacon!’

Chairman of the Bench for Fylde Coast Magistrates Courts Frank Shipway said: ‘The decision that magistrates should retire at 70 was made at Government level.’