Back to Criminal Cases

MATTHEWS John

Case Reference: 47CC3066925

Case Details

Reference

47CC3066925

Court

Lewes

Magistrate

HIS HONOUR JUDGE MOONEY , HIS HONOUR JUDGE VAN DER ZWART , MISS RECORDER J LEDWARD , MS RECORDER J LEDWARD , HER HONOUR JUDGE HENSON KC , HIS HONOUR JUDGE GOLD KC , MR RECORDER E BUTLER , HIS HONOUR JUDGE SWIRSKY , MISS RECORDER WHITAKER , MS RECORDER Q WHITAKER , MR RECORDER B COLLINS KC , HIS HONOUR JUDGE DONNE KC

Hearing Date

9 June 2026

Time

10:30 am

Hearing Type

For Trial

Court Type

crown

Prosecutor

Other Prosecutor

Case Details

Complainant's anonymity protected by virtue of Section 1 of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act 1992

Next Steps at this Trial

During the trial, the prosecution presents evidence and calls witnesses to prove the defendant committed the crime. The defense cross-examines the witnesses and presents its own evidence. Once all evidence is heard, the magistrates, district judge, or a jury (in the Crown Court) will decide if the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Court Jurisdiction: Crown Court - The Crown Court handles serious criminal cases (indictable-only offences, like murder, rape, robbery) and either-way offences sent up by the Magistrates' Court. Trials are heard by a judge and a jury of 12 citizens. Sentencing powers are up to the statutory maximum for the offence (including life imprisonment).

General Case Information

This listing represents public court record proceedings for MATTHEWS John. The legal proceedings will occur at Lewes. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: HMCTS Public Court Lists.
Disclaimer: The legal definitions and sentencing guidelines above are for general educational purposes under English Law and do not constitute formal legal representation or advice. If you are facing criminal prosecution, consult a qualified criminal defense solicitor immediately.

Case FAQs & Procedure Guide

A trial in the Magistrates' Court typically lasts from a few hours to a few days. Crown Court trials with a jury can last from several days to multiple weeks, depending on complexity and the number of witnesses.

If the verdict is not guilty (acquitted), the defendant is free to leave and cannot be prosecuted again for the same incident based on the same evidence.

If found guilty, the judge or magistrates will proceed to sentence the defendant, either immediately or at a separate sentencing hearing after a pre-sentence report is prepared.

Guilt is decided by a jury of 12 randomly selected members of the public, who must decide unanimously (or by a majority, if permitted by the judge) if the defendant is guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge ensures the trial is conducted fairly according to the law, rules on legal arguments, summarizes the case for the jury, and determines the sentence if the defendant is convicted.

Interested in the outcome of this case? You can request more information by emailing the court directly using the Email Court button at the top of the page.

Discussion

Loading comments...

Leave a comment

Comments are anonymous and moderated.