A SENIOR magistrate is stepping down from his work with young offenders in protest at Government plans to decrease magistrates' power.

David Irwin, chairman of Darlington magistrates bench, has decided not to stand for re-election as deputy chairman of the combined youth panel in December.

Mr Irwin's decision came after the Government announced plans to change the law in relation to the powers of youth courts and the punishments handed out to young offenders.

One of the areas of change was the introduction of referral orders which apply to all young offenders in court for the first time, unless they face serious charges.

Under the new rules, these young people will be sentenced by a youth offenders' panel, which will be made up of trained members of the public and the youth justice team.

The youth justice team will meet with offenders, and their parents, and decide what sort of work the youngster could carry out in the community in order to make amends for their crime.

Magistrates will say how long the work should last, but will have no say over what the punishment should be.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Mr Irwin said: "I am not happy with the direction youth justice is heading.

"Rather than sitting on the bench complaining about it, knowing there is nothing I can do, I decided not to stand for re-election.

"Under the new rules, all the magistrates will decide is the length of the sentence," he said.

"If the Government want youth justice teams to take over from magistrates they should be honest about it and not try to get them in the back door."

Mr Irwin was sworn in as a magistrate in 1974 and soon afterwards took on his role on the youth bench.

This will also be his final year as chairman of the Darlington bench, because he has already served the maximum of four years.

He will continue as a magistrate though.

He said: "I'm sad to have to do this. It is the end of an era for me, but I have been concerned about this for some time."