A GROUP of future lawyers may have been unearthed after the sharp legal minds of St Laurence School pupils won a local heat of a magistrates’ court mock trial competition.

Last Saturday, 10 Year 9 students from the Bradford on Avon school competed against seven other schools across Wiltshire for a place in the regional finals at North Wiltshire Magistrates’ Court.

The pupils, who won by 23 points, played a variety of roles, including solicitors, witnesses, magistrates and court staff – with the proceedings being played out in front of real magistrates and judged by barristers and the High Sheriff of Wiltshire.

St Laurence teacher Trudi Chatfield said: “This has been an exciting way of introducing our students to how the law works. I am very proud of their mature and thorough approach to their preparation for the case.

“The team worked extremely hard in preparing and performed exceptionally well. Many congratulations to them on their fantastic achievement.”

Each member of the team received a medal and were presented with the David Brewer memorial shield by Lady Gooch, High Sheriff of Wiltshire in memory of David Leonard Brewer.

A group of the school’s Sixth Form students also successfully competed at Bristol Crown Court last November where they won the regional final of the Bar Mock Trial Competition.

The winner of the regional finals will get a chance to take part in the national final, to be held at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

The Year 9 pupils who won were: Ellie Beaven, Ellie Stiles, Joe Green, Billy Long, Emily Creed, Hannah Eksteen, Theo Bloom, Erin Young, Kate Blowers and Jasmine Blythe.