No jury? Go and find one, orders judge

A JUDGE ordered court staff to take to the streets to recruit jurors after he was left short at the start of a sex assault trial.

Judge Andrew Barnett sent his clerk and usher outside, under a rarely used law, to find at least one more member after they were left with 11.

The original pool of 14 jurors had been asked if there was any reason why they could not serve at Salisbury Crown Court, Wilts, in the case of 20-year-old Jordan White.

One juror knew the defendant, another knew a detective on the case and a third fell ill.

The shortfall obliged Judge Barnett to take action.

An elderly woman with shopping and a male cyclist both declined the invitation before a female member of the public came forward and was duly sworn in.

A further two were transferred from jury service in Winchester, Hants, and the trial eventually got under way in the afternoon.

White, of Bulford, Wilts, denied a charge of sexual assault and assault by penetration. The trial is expected to last four days.

A little-used law allows for jury members to be convened from outside the court building if the judge deems it necessary.

A Judicial Office spokesman said: “There is a power for judges to summon people directly in exceptional circumstances if the jury is incomplete.

“It’s a power that goes back a long way and is colloquially known as ‘praying a tales’.”