In The Dark

Next Monday the new 'must-follow' guidelines for assault offences come into force. I am due to sit early next week and I have had no training or guidance of any description in the totally new approach that is required. I understand that some JPs have had the training, others have not. It's just a reflection of the pressure that our staff are under. I have downloaded the guidelines from the Web, but that's all I've got. So if you are in front of me and my colleagues, I am afraid that we shall have to retire for a while, to plough our way through the rules. It's not good and it's not professional, but it's all we can do, I'm afraid.