Man jailed for a week after he refuses to stand up for Northampton Crown Court judge

A defendant who refused to stand up for a judge at Northampton Crown Court has been sentenced to a week in jail after he was found in contempt of court.
Northampton Crown CourtNorthampton Crown Court
Northampton Crown Court

Daniel Marsden, aged 30, appeared before Her Honour Judge Adrienne Lucking yesterday after he was charged with robbing a man in Northampton of more than £1,000.

Marsden, who is currently in a serving prisoner at HMP Belmarsh, did not have any legal representation, so Judge Lucking addressed him directly in the dock.

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At the start of the hearing, Judge Lucking asked Marsden, who previously lived in Irthlingborough, if he could stand up.

Marsden refused and said, “under what jurisdiction?”.

Judge Lucking then asked Marsden to stand again and told him he would be found in contempt of court if he refused.

Marsden remained seated, and Judge Lucking said he was in contempt of court and sentenced him to seven days in a jail.

Judge Lucking, who was sitting in the morning, said she would be willing to hear the case in the afternoon if he apologised to the court. However, she was later informed that Marsden had refused to apologise.