Do I have the right to have a solicitor when I go to court?

If you have been accused of a crime, you will be given a solicitor to defend you in court. If you don’t know a solicitor, you will be given a duty solicitor, who will be provided free of charge.

A solicitor will:

• Talk you through what the police and witnesses say happened
• Listen to your side of the story
• Help you decide whether you want to plead guilty or not guilty
• Speak on your behalf in court

Do I have the right to have anyone else with me at court?

Yes, if you are under 16, you must be accompanied by a parent or carer. If you are 16 or 17, a parent or carer only has to come with you if they are given a court order. Regardless, it might be good to have someone you know with you who can provide you with support.

What will happen at court?

If you are between 10-17 years old, your case will be heard at a youth court. The youth court is a type of magistrates’ court which deals with young people. Cases in the youth court are either dealt with by three magistrates or a single district judge, sitting alone. This type of court differs from adult criminal cases in a number of ways, for example the process is designed to be less formal, the public are not allowed to enter the court, and defendants are addressed by their first name.

Youth courts deal with offences including theft and burglary, anti-social behaviour and drugs offences. More serious offences are usually transferred to Crown Court but can be dealt with in Youth court.

When called before the magistrates or judge, the charge will be read out, and you will be asked to plead guilty or not guilty. If you plead ‘not guilty,’ the court will set a trial date, and you will have to attend court again at a later date. At that later hearing, the court will then make a decision based on the evidence available to them. If your matter is not dealt with on the day, the court may set bail conditions on you. You could also be remanded to local authority accommodation or into custody.

If you plead guilty, the court can proceed to sentencing (see below).

What will happen if I am found guilty?

If you are found guilty of a crime, you will be sentenced. A sentence tells you how long you will have to spend in a youth prison or doing community service. Sentences can vary from 4 months to 2 years if you are 10-17. If the case is serious and heard in the crown court, the sentences can be much longer. In that case, you might receive an extended sentence; sometimes, this can be as long as an adult for the same offence, but it cannot be longer.

Sentences given by a youth court are often divided between a time in custody and a time in the community under the supervision of the Youth Offending Team.

If you disagree with the verdict, you can appeal. The court staff can provide more information about this.