NCTJ COURT REPORTING EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2024 {GRADED A}
What is the difference between court bail and police bail? - ✔✔Court bail
gives the person their liberty until their next court appearance. Police bail
means they are free to go but will be re-called for further questioning and
for a decision on
whether to charge or not.
Give three examples of either-way offences. - ✔✔Theft, sexual assault,
GBH.
What is the difference between theft and robbery? - ✔✔Robbery is theft by
force or threat of force.
What is a surety? - ✔✔A person who guarantees the defendant's
appearance and agrees to forfeit a set sum of money if the defendant
absconds.
What is allocation? - ✔✔Where magistrates hear about the alleged crime
and decide if they can accept jurisdiction or if they
believe that their powers of punishment may be insufficient.
, What is mitigation? - ✔✔An explanation of why a person might have
committed the crime.
What is committal for sentence? - ✔✔When magistrates dealing with an
either-way offence in a summary trial, send the case to the Crown Court for
sentencing.
What is a conditional discharge? - ✔✔The court has not imposed or
specified punishment, but if the offender commits another offence within a
given time, they are liable to be punished for the first offence as well as the
subsequent offence.
Which section of which act imposes automatic reporting restrictions for pre-
trial hearings of summary offences? - ✔✔Section 8C of the Magistrates'
Court Act 1980.
What can we report under Section 52A of the Crime of Disorder Act 1998?
- ✔✔Name of the court.
Names of the magistrates.
Name, age, address and occupation of the defendant.
Basic details of the charge.
Date/place to which hearing is adjourned.
Arrangements as to bail.
ANSWERS 2024 {GRADED A}
What is the difference between court bail and police bail? - ✔✔Court bail
gives the person their liberty until their next court appearance. Police bail
means they are free to go but will be re-called for further questioning and
for a decision on
whether to charge or not.
Give three examples of either-way offences. - ✔✔Theft, sexual assault,
GBH.
What is the difference between theft and robbery? - ✔✔Robbery is theft by
force or threat of force.
What is a surety? - ✔✔A person who guarantees the defendant's
appearance and agrees to forfeit a set sum of money if the defendant
absconds.
What is allocation? - ✔✔Where magistrates hear about the alleged crime
and decide if they can accept jurisdiction or if they
believe that their powers of punishment may be insufficient.
, What is mitigation? - ✔✔An explanation of why a person might have
committed the crime.
What is committal for sentence? - ✔✔When magistrates dealing with an
either-way offence in a summary trial, send the case to the Crown Court for
sentencing.
What is a conditional discharge? - ✔✔The court has not imposed or
specified punishment, but if the offender commits another offence within a
given time, they are liable to be punished for the first offence as well as the
subsequent offence.
Which section of which act imposes automatic reporting restrictions for pre-
trial hearings of summary offences? - ✔✔Section 8C of the Magistrates'
Court Act 1980.
What can we report under Section 52A of the Crime of Disorder Act 1998?
- ✔✔Name of the court.
Names of the magistrates.
Name, age, address and occupation of the defendant.
Basic details of the charge.
Date/place to which hearing is adjourned.
Arrangements as to bail.
