Interpreting and unpicking Garry Mann’s Trial

Feb. 2, 2010 - PRLog -- In 2004, Garry Mann, a fireman from Kent, was arrested at the European Football Championships in Portugal. Garry was charged with causing the riot. He was tried the following day, together with 11 other defendants, under fast-track procedures set up to combat football hooliganism. Garry was convicted and sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment.

He was deported to England where the Magistrates Court considered an application for a football banning order. Justice Stephen Day denied the application, finding the trial in Portugal to be “so unfair as to be incompatible with the respondents’ right to a fair trial under Article 6” and concluded “it would be unfair to rely upon the Portuguese conviction.”
Poor provision of translation and interpreting

Andrew Trotter, Managing Director of Global Lingo said, “In cases where participants cannot speak the language of the Courts, high-quality translation and interpreting is vital to ensure that justice runs its course. Fair Trials International has reported on the poor quality of translation and interpreting made available to Garry and the other defendants at the time of the trial, meaning that key information which could have secured a conviction or proved innocence wasn’t communicated in a way so as to be beyond doubt.”

“This contributed greatly to the decision of the UK courts that the conviction was unfair. Courts must provide adequate interpreters and translators who can accurately convey the proceedings and evidence to defendants like Garry Mann, otherwise they face the risk of ongoing legal and political proceedings like those we are now witnessing.”

A vital legal service

In cases such as this, as well as other high-profile proceedings such as the Jean Charles de Menezes and Baha Mousa inquiries, Global Lingo has ensured that professional interpreting and translation is made available to all parties requiring the service. This is vital to ensure that everyone involved, including the public, can be sure that decisions have been reached fairly.

Global Lingo is a specialist Translation, Interpreting Transcription and Minute taking company which provides a wide range of businesses and public organisations with professional translation and interpreting services as well as accurate transcribed records of their meetings and events. For more information visit www.global-lingo.com

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Global Lingo is a specialist Transcription, Minute taking, Translation and Interpreting company based in London. For more information visit www.global-lingo.com