Court Story Practice

You are reporting court proceedings at Weymouth Magistrates, and note down the following case where the defendant Watson has admitted the charges against him. Write a court report news story (250 – 300 words) from your notes as outlined below.
Remember – you are looking for a NEWSY* intro paragraph; removing jargon but remaining accurate; not introducing or implying any new information other than that which is given during the proceedings.
You should use at least one full quote from both prosecution and defence.


Fact sheet


Name: Joseph Watson
Age: 19
Address: Wesley Close, Charminster
Occupation: mechanic
Charges: 1 x assault; 1 x causing criminal damage
Plea: guilty
Result: ordered to carry out an 18-month community rehabilitation order and aggression replacement training. Also ordered to pay £150 compensation to Michael Colman.

PROSECUTION: Tim O’Sullivan says: “On October 30 at approximately 2pm, Watson was driving his Mazda 323 along the A35 at Charminster when he pulled up alongside a Ford Fiesta, driven by Michael Colman. He proceeded to wind down his window and produced an iron bar. He then used this to strike Mr Colman’s Ford Fiesta several times. This resulted in a smashed window and also caused a small piece of glass to hit Mr Colman just below his right eye. This resulted in a small cut.”

DEFENCE: Simon Lacey says: “There has been for some time a degree of bad feeling between these two gentlemen, the root of which I am not privy to. However, the assault on Mr Colman with the piece of broken glass was not intentional but just a consequence of Mr Watson breaking the window. Mr Watson does have problems with anger management and now knows he needs to do something about it.”

Comment from magistrate James Long: “Your offence of assault was aggravated by the iron bar. I am of a mind to accept the submission of Mr Lacey regarding anger management therapy for you.

(Mr Long makes the orders as listed in ‘result’ above)


A Dorset mechanic has been ordered to attend anger management classes after he smashed up a car with an iron bar whilst driving down the A35.

Joseph Watson, 19, was forced to pay £150 compensation to Michael Colman, who was driving his Ford Fiesta through Charminster last month when the teenager pulled up beside him and struck the car.

Tim O’Sullivan, prosecuting, said:

“On October 30 at approximately 2pm, Watson was driving his Mazda 323 along the A35 at Charminster when he pulled up alongside a Ford Fiesta, driven by Michael Colman.

“He proceeded to wind down his window and produced an iron bar. He then used this to strike Mr Colman’s Ford Fiesta several times.”

Simon Lacey, defending, said:

“The assault on Mr Colman with the piece of broken glass was not intentional but just a consequence of Mr Watson breaking the window.

“Mr Watson does have problems with anger management and now knows he needs to do something about it.”