Last case heard at Kingston Magistrates' Court (From Surrey Comet)

Last case heard at Kingston Magistrates' Court

3:00pm Thursday 30th June 2011 in Save Kingston Magistrates By Martin George

A teenager who assaulted a man with a belt earned a footnote in history as the last person to face Kingston magistrates.

Darrell Mitchell, of Ruxley Lane, Epsom, assaulted Tom MacPherson at about 3am on Thursday, May 5, after a late night drinking session.

Magistrates, hearing their last case before the court permanently closed on Thursday, June 30, were told a dispute broke out between two groups of friends in a Subway in Kingston town centre.

John Shepherd, prosecuting, said: “The defendant took his belt off and wrapped it around his hand and hit the victim several times around the head, causing cuts to his head.”

The court heard the 18 year old, who is studying to become a plumber, had received a reprimand for a racially aggravated public order offence in September 2010.

Defence lawyer Michael Green said the attack was out of character, but Mitchell admitted to police he took off his belt during the incident.

In his final ruling before retiring after nearly 25 years on the bench, lead magistrate David Thompson said: “It’s a sad situation when you do feel the need to use something like a belt to inflict injuries on another person.”

After seeing photographs of Mr MacPherson’s injuries, magistrates ordered Mitchell to perform 60 hours of unpaid work in the community, and pay £75 in compensation and £50 in costs.

Then at 11.38am, with only two security guards, two members of the public and the defendant’s mother looking on, Mr Thompson ended the sitting and brought hundreds of years of local justice in Kingston to a close.

For full analysis of the closure, buy tomorrow’s Surrey Comet and visit www.surreycomet.co.uk.