From today's chronicle: Wilks trial delayed again MALLIK Wilks will not stand trial on Monday as originally planned due to the coronavirus crisis. The 21-year-old forward, who is currently on loan from Barnsley to their Championship rivals Hull City, was due at Leeds Crown Court on May 11 charged with violent disorder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm relating to an incident at the West Indian Carnival in Leeds in August 2017. The trial was initially postponed from last summer and will now be delayed again because it is one of many cases put on hold due to the pandemic and lockdown. Wilks struggled at Barnsley after signing from Leeds United last summer and, after netting once in 16 matches, was loaned out to the Tigers by Gerhard Struber who did not play him at all after becoming head coach in November. He scored three goals in nine appearances for Hull before the season was suspended.
Hopefully this time he will be treated as a normal person and forced to miss work to attend a serious trial rather than being treated as a god like footballers appear to be. His trial, and Joey Bartons should have been a long time ago. I'm sick of them delaying so that poor little footballers don't have to miss a days work.
Are you sure thats the reason - our legal system was in chaos well before Coronavirus with cases taking years to come to court, being postponed at short notice etc. Was May picked just because it was close season or because it was the first date availlable. Ched Evans was tried mid season.
It seems that most are picked for close season and if delayed the delay coincidentally is close season the year after. It may just be a coincidence but I doubt it. I think chef Evans was different because of how high profile it was
? you have lost me with that one - I can thing of several compelling reasons why its not a great idea to have a trial next week
Be interesting to see if we decide to keep him. Or sell if Hull want him. Or anyone else for that matter.
All Crown Court trials have been taken out of the list for obvious reasons. Confined area, around 20 people at least in close proximity and in multi-handers up to 50. Jurors particularly close to each other in court and retiring room. Hard to imagine a better breeding ground for the virus. Attempts are being made to adapt the process, including using fewer jurors and bigger buildings but when you are dealing with someone’s liberty there’s not a lot that can fundamentally change. Priority will be given to trials involving remanded defendants when things get going again, many of whom have had their custody time limits extended to prevent their release.
