Last Friday April 3rd I told the story of Marie Dinou who found unwanted fame as the first person found guilty of contravening the new regulations about movement in this era of virus contagion. Having admitted that she was convicted under "wrong legislation" her conviction was quashed. British Transport Police has apologised but added that she refused to speak to its officers when she was stopped "loitering between platforms". The CPS has been silent. Apparently Ms Dinou did not speak to anyone at the police station, failed to confirm her identity at court, failed to enter a plea and did not speak to a solicitor assigned to represent her. The District Judge was a certain Sarah-Jane Griffiths who was called to the Bar (L) in 1998 and admitted as a Solicitor in 2010. She was appointed as a Fee-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber (Social Security and Child Support) in 2013. Judge Griffiths concluded that the defendant was being "obstructive".It seems that the judge`s inquiries into Ms Dinou`s silence were hardly exhaustive. She made no effort or instruction for Ms Dinou`s health, mental and physical, to be ascertained. She was kept in the cells despite no charges being put to her and that no papers had been served. She was ordered to pay a fine of £660 without her income having been made available to the court.
She was charged under Schedule 21 of the Coronavirus Act even although the prosecution knew that she was unlikely to be infected. Perhaps Judge Griffiths needs "advice" from the Lord Chief Justice?
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