A few days ago, this blog reported on Capita’s seeming inability to find an interpreter for Polish – the third largest foreign born community in Britain after Irish and Indian born people – for a court case in Essex (posts passim).
This is not an isolated incident and appears to be spreading.
Today’s Stoke Sentinel carries a brief report of a 32 year-old man from the Bentilee area of Stoke on Trent whose case has been adjourned until 9th January.
According to the Sentinel’s report:
A 32-year-old man will appear in court next week accused of beating a woman. Arthur Neckar faces a charge of assaulting Anna Pirtrowska by beating on December 14. Neckar, of Wellfield Road, Bentilee, appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre yesterday where his case was adjourned to arrange for a Polish interpreter to attend.
Surely the court’s time and public money would have been saved had a Polish interpreter been present in court for the initial hearing?
Hat tip: Yelena McCafferty