[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-17630992

A woman from Blackpool who went on holiday while sitting on a jury has been jailed for 56 days.

Janet Chapman, 52, rang Preston Crown Court to say she had back pain and could not attend for two weeks.

She said she thought that obtaining a seven-day sick note for sciatica meant she would automatically not have to attend the trial.

Recorder of Preston Judge Anthony Russell QC found her guilty of contempt of court.

The deputy care home manageress had listened to three weeks of evidence in a robbery trial at Preston Crown Court but failed to appear at the start of the final week of the scheduled four-week hearing.

She said she was unfit to attend and then on the following day, 20 March, she left a telephone message with the jury bailiff which said: "Hello, this is Janet Chapman. I won't be attending court for a period of up to two weeks. I have got to return to the doctors next Tuesday. I have got sciatica. Thank you. Bye."

It emerged she had flown out with her partner from Liverpool John Lennon Airport earlier that day for a week's holiday.

Trial judge Stuart Baker had, as normal procedure, asked all potential members of the jury before the case started whether there was any reason why they could not serve the set period of time and the defendant indicated there was none.

In explaining her absence from the proceedings, the court was told the trip had been a surprise birthday present for Chapman.

The trial was delayed for two days while inquiries were made with "genuine concern at first for your welfare", said the judge.

It resulted in "significant wasted costs, personal loss to several people and considerable inconvenience".

Chapman was discharged from the jury in her absence and the trial continued and eventually concluded.

Judge Russell said: "It is essential that the duty of jury service is taken seriously by those called upon to perform it, and that it is performed diligently and responsibly.

"You have manifestly failed to perform your public duty.

"In my judgment this is a serious contempt of court which can only be met by an immediate sentence of imprisonment."

Let that be lesson to potential jurors - it's a serious business .....