Page 4 - Newcastle News Sep 2017

President’s Column
News from the President
If you missed the summer party this July, then you missed a really good bash. We were sold out! Great credit, as always, to Kate Goodings who got everything together and also an inspired choice as to venue (down to me) in choosing the Wylam Brewery. Finally we were lucky enough that summer coincided with that particular day. NWG Property Solutions came up trumps with sponsorship and we made a good collection for dogs for the deaf. So next time get your orders in quickly.
The next knees up is the Law Dinner on 10 November, which is a Friday – nearly everyone likes the idea of not getting up for work the next day. So for those who missed the summer bash, you have been warned. Get your tickets ordered.
In other news, I can update you on current events. Extending working hours at Newcastle Crown Court is up and running. The Pilot scheme, which was paused to allow the Election, is now set to resume in September. You will remember the proposals, one
Court that will sit from 9.30 a.m. until 1.30 p.m. and then 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. There will be trials in the afternoon from October but not fixtures. There will be three floating trials, one or all of them may be dealt with by 6 p.m. If you are feeling a little confused, then imagine the feelings of the poor Jurors. There was a fairly successful rear guard action against the Magistrates’ Court proposals for Sheffield. You will remember it was proposed that they sit from 8.30 a.m. until 8.30 p.m. The closing time for this Pilot has been moved back to 6.30 p.m. This is at best damage limitation.
For those keeping up to date with the Law Society Gazette, you will have noticed an article about the Newcastle upon Tyne Magistrates’ Court effective closure. In order to satisfy the requirement to have some sort of consultation process, written submissions were invited and the proposals were simply reinstated in due course with all submissions rejected. No surprise there then. You may well remember that these amounted to a re-distribution of work to North
Shields and Bedlington Magistrates’ Courts. No account was taken of the needs of Hexham Court users who were promised good access to Newcastle Magistrates’ Court when their Court was closed some years ago. The consultation process concluded that there was “only a few cases” in the erstwhile Tynedale area in any event.
real concerns there then.
It is just as well that the crime figures indicate that crime is, to a large extent, solved. I was looking at some reported crime figures for 2008. Then there were 78,653 arrests in the Northumbria Police area. In 2016 there were 31,407arrests which amounts to a 60% decrease. Over the same period crime itself increased from 109,251 reported offences to 118,250. That is an 8% increase. Even Diane Abbot couldn’t explain those statistics. In fact, most cases are, in some way, “diverted”. So
that’s alright then.
Lewis Pearson President
Sleep tight.
So no
Obituary: Kenneth Stuart Lockerbie
Kenneth Stuart Lockerbie was born on 10th November 1932 in Castletown, Sunderland; the youngest of six children. Ken was educated at Tunstall Preparatory School before finishing his schooling at Haileybury Independent Boarding School just outside London.
After leaving school, Ken decided to follow a career in law. His father had been a JP in Sunderland and encouraged Ken to pursue a legal career. Ken obtained articles with Rex Gibson in Sunderland, qualifying in 1955. Directly after qualifying Ken spent two years National Service at The War Office in London. On his return he gained a position at Patterson Glenton and Stracey working at their Jarrow office. In 1961 he married Jean Pringle, became a partner with the firm and the senior solicitor in the Jarrow office.
Ken undertook a wide variety of legal work, especially enjoying the contentious side of the law where he made many court
appearances defending clients. Towards the end of his career he became the Deputy Coroner for South Tyneside, whilst remaining a partner in Patterson Glenton and Stracey. Ken was forced to retire in 1989 due to ill health following a serious car accident five years earlier.
Ken was a committee man and at his happiest when taking a lead role. In his younger days he was a member of The North East Young Solicitors and organised yearly conferences at The Windermere Hydro. Ken was Chairman of the Legal Aid Area Number 8 Committee for many years.
Ken successfully combined his legal career with an active social life. He gained many clients, friends and acquaintances through membership of Rotary and Beadnell Sailing Club. His other great love was rugby. He played rugby for Gosforth and later refereed at the very highest level officiating at clubs all over England and the Scottish Borders. After giving up the whistle Ken was,
over the years, President of Gosforth RFC and Chairman of Newcastle Gosforth RFC, Northumberland Referees Society and the Northumberland Disciplinary Committee.
Following his retirement Ken continued to take an active part in legal life becoming Chairman of the local Retired Solicitors Association – a position he held for a number of years.
Ken’s health had been failing for a number of years and he gradually
withdrew from public life. Ken died on 28th May 2017, aged 84. He is survived by his widow, Jean and their three children - Janet, a primary school teacher, Fiona, a secondary school maths teacher and Mark, a chef.
Ian Fraser
Hadaway & Hadaway
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