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A Judge too Far
A Judge Too Far - A Biography of
His Honour Judge Keith Matthewman QC of the
Nottingham
Crown Court
ISBN 0 9530419 9 9
A tough judge
with a tough reputation, he is more concerned for the
victim than the criminal; a judge whose sentences are
often reduced by the Court of Appeal, but a judge who is
regularly applauded for his outspoken radical views by the
Press and the public.
Narvel Annable explores the
fascinating story of his former teacher who has spanned
the social divide from a Yorkshire coal mining background
to being listed in Who's Who and Debrett's People of Today
and is now described as legendary in the local Press. This
is an extraordinary lifetime in which praise is matched
with criticism, as we follow the twists and turns of the
last six decades to see Keith Matthewman, the student, the
Scout, the memorable and creative schoolmaster, the
enthusiastic left-wing politician, the film maker, the
articulate barrister and the stern judge who - " ... had
to deal with the raw end of life, the mad, bad and
desperate - a parade of failed humanity ... rapes, incest,
violence, dangerous driving, arson .."
Judge
Matthewman went on to become a broadcaster, a
controversial television personality, strident critic of
the Criminal Justice System and latterly the President of
the Friends of the Galleries of Justice Museum in
Nottingham.
In 1992 he featured in Central TV's
award-winning documentary Caution - Our Hands Are Tied and
a year later he was the first British judge to have a
regular slot on Crime Stalker.
Readers will also
find, imaginatively interwoven in this life-span, an
enjoyable and informative history, brought to life by
photographs, documents and newspaper extracts which will
re-kindle local memories.
This book takes you
through the years of the Second World War in Chilwell, the
1950's in Long Eaton Grammar School and then on to
University College London. The 1960's will see
shop-keeping at Aldercar, school-teaching and politics in
Heanor, leading on to Rolls Royce in Derby and ending up
with many examples from the riveting daily drama of lives
in crisis in the Nottingham law courts. This work of 271
pages is supported by forewords from -
The
Rt. Hon. Geoffrey Hoon MP the Secretary of State for
Defence and
Lord Bach of Lutterworth
reviews
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