The Judge presided over a hearing concerning ten year-old Hope Stape after she had charged with setting fire to 2a Coronation Street in August 2021.
Her life had been torn apart when Tyrone Dobbs had begun an affair with "younger model" Alina Pop and moved out of 9 Coronation Street where he was the partner of Fiz and his own daughter Ruby Dobbs. When Alina fell pregnant, Hope was initially excited but then became jealous that she was being squeezed out of Tyrone's affections, especially when she overheard his delight at the news that the forthcoming baby was a boy. Using a stolen set of keys and some nail varnish remover, she began a blaze using a scented candle to destroy the baby's new cot, not knowing that Alina was asleep in the bedroom. She subsequently suffered a miscarriage.
As suspicions grew into certainty that Hope was the arsonist, Fiz and Tyrone initially tried to cover for the girl but eventually he came clean to the police. The youth offending team decided on the lower level of the charge of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, as she had declared to DS Abney that she wouldn't have started the fire if she knew that Alina was in the next room, never wanting to have hurt anyone.
Hope soon appeared in a youth court where her solicitor was able to give the anxious family the news that the appointed judge was someone with a track record of being sympathetic. She reminded Hope that she must tell the truth and told Fiz and Tyrone to try not to worry; the proceeding wasn't a formal trial, and they were at the start of a process to give them the help they needed.
As anticipated, the judge took into account the trauma of Hope's parents splitting up and was also encouraged by the familial connections the girl had locally and that her family were in court to support her that day. She was persuaded that the best place for Hope was at home, and she therefore imposed a youth rehabilitation order with no custodial sentence. She would be required to attend therapy sessions and anything else deemed necessary by the rehabilitation team. She reminded those present that Hope would need a lot of support and understanding, that this would be down to them as a family and reiterated how important it was that they all pulled together to help.
In April 2024 she presided over the trial of Mason Radcliffe on a charge of carrying a knife, his second such offence. A student at Weatherfield High, Mason bullied and intimidated most of his fellow pupils, none more so than Liam Connor. In November 2023 he pushed Liam over the edge when he covered him with litter after clubbing the lad to the ground and filmed his subsequent tears. Liam instinctively tried to push the phone out of his hand and Mason retaliated by pulling a knife on him. Liam’s stepbrother Jake Windass reported the matter to the police but the wily thug had managed to dispose of the weapon by passing it on to Dylan Wilson. It was some months before Maria Connor and Gary Windass found out about the knife and managed to persuade Liam to make a complaint. Although the knife was found in Dylan's possession, Mason's fingerprints are on it and he, along with Dylan, was charged. Dylan pleaded guilty and had to attend as a witness at Mason’s trial. The thug had made it quite clear to Dylan that he would retaliate with violence against him if he gave evidence and the hearing was carried out under an atmosphere of silent threats and intimidation. Liam's testimony passed without incident but when Dylan took the stand he remembered the threats made against him and changed his evidence. The judge twice had to intervene when a shocked Sean Tully asked his son to reconsider what he was saying. It was the sight of a scared Liam running from the courtroom that made Dylan change his mind back and testify that he had seen the knife in Mason's possession.
The judge found Mason guilty, in part due to his unwillingness to testify on his own behalf, but also because of what she said were entirely credible witness statements. She adjourned the hearing for one week, pending a report from his youth justice worker but warned Mason that the law only allowed for a custodial sentence.
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List of appearances[]
2021
2024
2025