JUSTICE has been seen in action by scores of young observers who filled the public galleries at a crown court building.

The 160-strong year group from Chester-le-Street's Hermitage School visited Durham Crown Court after teachers made a special arrangement through the court's administrative staff.

Split into groups of 80, the 14 and 15-year-olds were given their first taste of the justice system in full flow.

Before proceedings began they were addressed by senior Crown Prosecution Service advocates Chris Williamson and David Scutt, deputy court administrator Paul Hann and usher Peter McCutcheon, as well as Probation Service court liaison officer Stewart Douglas.

They briefed their young audience on how the court operates and what they might see taking place before them.

Assistant headteacher Sharon Esposito said the visit was part of the school's guidance and welfare programme.

"We basically started by having chats with the police and looking at the criminal justice system in England and Wales.

"We've now progressed to the courts and sentencing and so it seemed a good idea to bring the students to see a court operate.

"I don't suppose any of them has been in court before, so this enhanced their experience.

"I came through to check things out and this is basically the result. We hired a couple of double-decker buses and brought the year group down in its entirety."

Miss Esposito said the next stage of the course would be a talk by prison staff from Durham's Frankland Jail, but this time it would be on school premises.