Please help- plea hearing?

[Completebollocks]

I’m a witness in a case and there is the defendants plea hearing soon. I would like to attend but have been told it is “not encouraged”. There are no real reasons being given though? Apart from if they plead not guilty, witnesses are asked to leave while case discussed. That’s fine but no other reason has been given?

I’d be travelling quite a long way. What actually happens? How quick is it?
Thank you

Witnesses do not attend a plea hearing. It's simply for the accused to enter a plea which, if not guilty, dates in the future would be set for trial. Complete waste of time for you to go. You can always phone the court the next day to ask what happened.

It's an open court so they wouldn't stop you from attending. As the PP said though, it's a very quick administrative hearing generally. Depending on the case though, it is possible that the case would proceed to sentence that day if a guilty plea was entered. Id like to thank witness care could give you an idea of what was likely to happen but unfortunately some are better than others and may not understand the procedure. What is the charge?

Just seen you have advice on another board on this. To clarify, my question re the charge was to establish likelihood of immediate sentence following plea rather than anything else but I would guess from your other comments it is something that will be adjourned for a report.