He had been charged with various counts of taking vehicles without consent. He was already awaiting trial for a string of more serious earlier offences. The circumstances were that a conviction on all counts seemed inevitable.

During my consultation in the cells, my client insisted on me making an application for ‘technical bail’. I advised him that an application was futile, but he insisted.

The case was called and I stood before the bench to make my application. I must have been in exceptional form that morning, because the magistrates were listening to my plea with unprecedented intensity and hanging on my every word. Indeed, I even thought I had brought tears of compassion to the eyes of one of the magistrates. Against the odds, I thought I would succeed.

Having closed my address, I moved to sit down but immediately rose again and added, ‘If your worships are minded to grant my client bail, may I ask for a 15-minute adjournment so that I could move my car?’

A brief silence was followed by smirks of amusement among the bench and prosecution.

Bail was refused and my client was none the wiser.

Trevor F Moore, Solicitor and notary, Ibstock, Leicestershire

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