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Teenager Demi Bright hit with fine for court no-show

Canterbury crown court
Canterbury crown court

An Ashford teenager has been hit with a £450 bill – after turning up late for court.

Demi Bright was due to have her appeal against conviction for common assault heard before a judge and two magistrates.

Judge James O'Mahony
Judge James O'Mahony

But when the hearing at Canterbury Crown Court was due to begin at 10.30am on Friday, the youngster failed to show.

Her barrister Thomas Restell explained that he had spoken to Bright’s mother, who said her daughter had left from an address in Hythe at 10.15am to make the 18-mile journey by car.

Judge James O’Mahony (pictured right) and his judicial colleagues waited 20 minutes – but at 10.55am dismissed the appeal after hearing there had been no more contact from the teenager.

He was then told that Bright, of Kingsnorth Road, Ashford, had also failed to turn up at the original trial before magistrates when she was convicted in her absence.

He said: “Coming to a crown court is not like meeting in a cafe or pub. This is a serious duty.

He said: “We set aside a whole morning with thousands of pounds being involved in that. It just beggars belief!”

"coming to a crown court is not like meeting in a cafe or pub. this is a serious duty" – judge o'mahony

He ordered the teenager to pay £450 costs and gave her just a month to stump up the money.

Bright eventually arrived at 11.15am when barristers for the Crown and defence had left the building.

She said: “I thought the court hearing was 10.30 am. I thought we would get here on time. I did try my hardest. How much have I got to pay?”

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