Can't get to court

[Tolstoy1]

I am supposed to be going to court in Scotland on Tuesday morning and have booked my train from South of England. Now train networks are saying because of 'cracks' they may suspend trains. I am on very limited budget. Will I be in contempt of court if I cannot attend and have made every effort to get there? Can't call until 9am monday when I should already haver started journey up. Very worried !

Are you a witness or a defendant? If your a witness provide as much evidence of the efforts you have made as possible.

Hello, I'm a Defendant. Really just on very low income cannot afford a flight even if there is one.

As far as I know, the case could either be postponed if you can prove you’ve no reasonable way to get there (how much notice were you provided of your court date?), or an arrest warrant could be issued depending on the crime. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of the legal sector will be along to offer more options though.

thanks - yes just the problem of weekends- nobody available. I knew about date for 2 weeks but as my bail condition is to be at this address in England it prevented me being available in Scotland much before the start date.

If the trains are cancelled are they providing an alternate bus service instead? If not, you could look into a bus trip or see if anyone’s available to give you a lift. At the end of the day you’ve committed a crime and have been issued a court date, if you don’t appear you’re in breach of your bail and you can be arrested. The weekend has nothing to do with it.

www.askthe.scottish.police.uk/content/Q226.htm

Phone your solicitor first thing Monday morning if you aren’t going to be there.

Hello I mean with weekednd I can't forewarn court. There is very limited bus travel from london to scotland and I am without savings. Hopefully train services will be replaced by monday.

@ConfusedAdultFemale

www.askthe.scottish.police.uk/content/Q226.htm

Phone your solicitor first thing Monday morning if you aren’t going to be there.

Thankyou have emailed and phoned so will await their reply. Surely I'm not the only one!

I was a criminal lawyer in Scotland for many years. Tell your solicitor (do you have one?) Criminal lawyers will have a weekend on call line so phone them now. They will explain the difficulties to the court if you can't make it and hopefully avoid a warrant being taken for you. If you don't do anything and don't turn up, a warrant will be more likely to be taken.

They trains should be fine by then. They have been taken out for checking sue to faults on other sets that's were found during the week and it is anticipated they will be returned to service ASAP. There is of course the outer risk for them all to be withdrawn, but that's unlikely at this stage.

@ConfusedAdultFemale

If the trains are cancelled are they providing an alternate bus service instead? If not, you could look into a bus trip or see if anyone’s available to give you a lift. At the end of the day you’ve committed a crime and have been issued a court date, if you don’t appear you’re in breach of your bail and you can be arrested. The weekend has nothing to do with it.

How sympathetic.

Has the OP confirmed they committed a crime? Or just accused?

What is the journey? There is always another way

Hello I will end my discussion here as a friend booked me a bus ticket - but my my i was panicked: thanks for the support x

@ConfusedAdultFemale

If the trains are cancelled are they providing an alternate bus service instead? If not, you could look into a bus trip or see if anyone’s available to give you a lift. At the end of the day you’ve committed a crime and have been issued a court date, if you don’t appear you’re in breach of your bail and you can be arrested. The weekend has nothing to do with it.

Well, if you know the OP is guilty maybe they can save the time and effort of having a trial. I hope you don't get called for jury service