Every criminal case starts in a magistrates' court, and most end there. Last year, the 14,000 magistrates of England & Wales dealt with almost 1.4 million cases.

But, what exactly does a magistrate do? Who are they? And how are they recruited and trained?
Are they out-of-touch and unrepresentative of society in 2020? Or are magistrates still fit for purpose with a role to play in today's increasingly sophisticated and complex judicial system?

With remarkable candour and openness – plus a healthy helping of humour – The Secret Magistrate takes the reader on an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes tour of a year in the life of an inner-city magistrate – warts and all.

Chapters describe a wide variety of intriguing cases and bizarre characters such as:
The disqualified driver who drove away from court, The Sunbed Pervert, and – to be overlooked at your peril – Fifi the Attack Chihuahua!

A book for all those interested in the Criminal Justice System, in the workings of the courts, and in those who serve our communities – or who enjoy true stories of the best and worst of human nature.

"Hopefully, I might even persuade some of those reading this book to consider becoming magistrates themselves. Come and read about justice at the sharp end – arise 'The Secret Magistrate'."