‘Selfish’ mum, 29, who moaned about jury duty and asked to be replaced by OAP ‘with nothing to do’ is fined £300

A “SELFISH” mum who said a 90-year-old with nothing to do could take her place on jury service was fined £300 by a judge yesterday. Carly Hull, 29, was told by Judge Barbara Mensah that jury service was the only public service the state asks people to do in peacetime. The judge, who sits at […]

A “SELFISH” mum who said a 90-year-old with nothing to do could take her place on jury service was fined £300 by a judge yesterday.

Carly Hull, 29, was told by Judge Barbara Mensah that jury service was the only public service the state asks people to do in peacetime.

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The judge, who sits at Luton Crown Court, told Hull: “On the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings when people gave up their lives to ensure the freedoms we have in this country of a fair trial and of innocent until proven guilty, you think you can impose a selfish attitude to jury service.”

Hull, of Cook Road in Stevenage, was summoned before the judge having failed to attend for jury service earlier this month.

She had first been called in February, but had jury service deferred until 3 June after she said she had childcare problems.

Hull, a customer services worker at B&Q, told Luton Crown Court’s jury office that she had forgotten the date and had not received a letter telling her to attend.

The jury officer again deferred her service until 10 June, but the judge said she then said that was not enough time to get childcare.

The judge said: “She said she would not have to do jury service as she had children and was not 90 years of age.”

Jury service is a vital part of the criminal law system of the UK and anyone over the age of 18 can be summoned to be a juror.

Summons are based on the electoral role and in most circumstances you can face a fine of £1,000 if you don’t attend.

You can defer your jury service if you can’t attend on the dates for which you’ve been summoned, but you have to give other dates in the next 12 months when you can attend instead.

Judge Mensah told Hull, who stood in the witness box, she’d had four months to make childcare arrangements.

She said she would have received £64.95p a day on jury service to cover the costs with the local council providing a centre in Luton at half that rate.

According to court staff, Hull said: “Let a 90-year-old do it. I have got other things to do. I have a family to bring up.”

Defending, Stuart Sprawson said she lived in a rough area and the post informing her of the June date may not have been delivered.

He said: “I have emphasised jury service is fundamental public duty. Only on good reason are you excused.

“Her husband works for Affinity Water – he has contacted his employer.

“He is taking unpaid leave for five days next week to look after the children.

“She has also arranged for her mother, who works at the Lister Hospital, to look after the children if the jury service is extended.

“She accepts her defiance to court is not edifying.

“She makes a sincere apology and did not appreciate the situation.”

Hull, who cried after the judge’s remarks, is due to start her jury service on Monday.

Fining her, the judge said: “I was not impressed with your attitude.

“If you are not here on Monday, the court will take more stringent action — you could go to prison.”

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