Judge criticises translation service after interpreter fails to attend
A frustrated judge has once again criticised a court translation service after another case at Ipswich Crown Court had to be adjourned because an interpreter failed to attend court.
In July Judge David Pugh was forced to adjourn a hearing after a Romanian interpreter failed to attend and he complained that he had been forced to adjourn a number of other cases because translators hadn’t turned up to hearings at the court.
On Tuesday morning (September 7) an interpreter failed to attend the court for a plea hearing for a Russian speaking defendant and the case was adjourned until the afternoon to see if one could attend.
“This happens time and time again,” said Judge Pugh, who said he was concerned at the amount of money wasted by interpreters not being provided by the company contracted by the Ministry of Justice to provide translators.
When the case was called back on at 2pm a Russian interpreter attended the hearing via a video link and the case was able to progress.
Before the court was Aleksejs Slabodciks, 30, of no fixed address.
He denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent, assault causing actual bodily harm and having a knife in Pepperhill Way, Haverhill last month.
His trial will take place in January.
