...he has asked me to speak for him...
Pat,
Tricky, strictly speaking you do not have rights of audience.
I know you woudn't, but there's nothing to stop you standing up and telling a load of untruths.
A solicitor is bound by his profession not to do that, which is why the magistrates will take what he says at face value.
It would he helpful to know a bit more about the case, but the best advice is to get a solicitor local to the court, who is trusted by the bench, to advise on pleas and do the mitigation.
For example, it may be that a solicitor, from his experience and legal knowledge, will know the prosecution will accept pleas to lesser charges, or not guilty pleas to some of them.
The driver may want to make an honest clean breast of things, but there's no point in anyone dropping themselves in it any deeper than they have to.
There's nothing to stop the driver representing himself, but a solicitor will almost certainly do a better job.
|
