Woman twice ejected from court hearing for constant talking

A STRABANE woman, who was representing herself in court, had to be twice ejected from the hearing because she refused to stop speaking.

Hazel Judge (37), of Ballycolman Estate, was appearing at Strabane Magistrates Court on Friday for what had initially been described as three separate contests. As well as this, she also faced three separate counts of breaching a probation order.

Altogether, Judge faces 16 charges, including common assault, harassment and the improper use of communications. There are alleged to have been committed on various dates between April and November last year.

Having previously been represented by a number of local law firms, Judge was representing herself for the first time on Friday. However, the contests had to be postponed as she was deemed unsuitable for cross-examining witnesses. As the hearing began, district judge Brian Archer was in conversation with a representative from the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), but Hazel Judge kept butting into this dialogue. Consequently, Judge Archer repeatedly told the defendant to be quiet but when she refused to stop speaking, the judge ordered her to wait outside.

Judge Archer said, “Until you conduct yourself properly in court; you’ll be called when you’re ready.” Later, when Hazel Judge had been returned to the hearing, the PPS made an application that the court should appoint a lawyer to cross-examine witnesses on the defendant’s behalf. For example, in terms of the common assault charge, the alleged injured party has a restraining order in place against the defendant and as such, according to the PPS, any evidence from this witness during cross-examination by Judge, would be diminished. It was also said that other witnesses indicated they would be “distressed if they were cross examined by this defendant”.

Once again though, as this discussion was taking place, Hazel Judge refused to remain silent and kept interjecting.

“You’re now interfering with the court, can you please be quiet,” Judge Archer demanded. But Hazel Judge did not comply and she was once again ejected from the courtroom.

Granting the PPS application to appoint counsel to cross-examine witnesses on the defendant’s behalf across the three contests, Judge Archer queried whether Hazel Judge could even conduct a defence at all given that she had previously been “verbally abusive”.

Judge Archer also decreed that it should be recorded in the court’s order sheet that he had to remove Judge twice because of her “abusive behaviour and conduct in court”.

He continued, “Probation are going to have to be aware that she’s representing herself in the matter… they might have the same concerns as the other injured parties.”

All matters were adjourned until April 22 to fix a date for a new contest.

“Just advise her (of this),” Judge Archer said, refusing to allow Judge back into the courtroom.