My days sat on the press bench at Axminster's now defunct court

Nub News editor Philip Evans recalls his days covering local court cases at Axminster Magistrates Courts, which was recently demolished to make way for housing development.

It's where the miscreants of the Axe Valley were punished for their wayward behaviour, motoring offences and criminal acts – but now the bulldozers have moved in and reduced it to a pile of rubble.

Having stood redundant for so many years - disgracefully so, according to many - Axminster Magistrates' Court has at last been razed to the ground to be replaced by a housing development.

It's where I spent every Tuesday when I was a cub reporter, fascinated by how justice was dispensed when an appearance before the beak would ensure that your name definitely appeared in Pulman's Weekly News.

The new purpose-built court, just off Lyme Road, and it's adjacent police station, was opened in 1963. Before that, justice was dispensed at the Old Courthouse in Church Street which was built in the 1860s with its town lockout which you can still visit today.

Reporting on crime was greatly different in those days. We would pay a call to the police station every morning where a cup of tea was offered as the duty sergeant would take you through the incident book.

We knew all the policemen (very few policewomen in those days) and would invariably see them giving evidence at court.

In those days the station sergeant would prosecute on behalf of the police. I have distinct memories of Sgt Les Knight conducting the police case and there was always great respect between member of the bench (magistrates) and the prosecuting policeman.

The whole process was very relaxed, although I'm sure it was not such a comfortable experience for those being prosecuted.

Magistrates court dealt with fairly minor offences, the more serious stuff was referred to the Crown Court in Exeter.

The level of crime really reflected the type of area. In Axminster, the dispensing of justice was a million miles from Perry Mason. Lots of minor motoring offences, quite a bit of drunkenness, minor burglaries and on one occasion sexual assault on a goat. I kid you not (sorry about the pun).

One case I remember was the first drink-driving offence after the breathalyser was brought it. With the pubs open all day on a Thursday when the farmers came to market, you can imagine that a few drive back to their farms well refreshed.

The defending solicitor of this particular case was Bruce Beckingsale, principal partner at Bevis & Beckingsale, and he got his defendant off due to a technicality on the way the breathalyser was used.

I recall writing a complete broadsheet page on this case, as well as selling a shortened version to the Western Morning news and the Western Daily Press.

I was embarrassed with one particular incident. After dealing with case and dealing out a heavy fine, the defendant was passing the press bench when he told me not to put it in the paper, aiming a slap across my head. The chairman of the bench called him back and did him for contempt of court.

The biggest case I recall was the appearance of IRA sympathiser Rose Dugdale who was up before the court for theft of silverware and artworks, valued at £82,000, from her parents' home in Membury. Police believed the money was going to the IRA and she was remanded to a higher court.

Dugdale's millionaire father appeared as a witness for the prosecution and was cross-examined by Dugdale, who said to him: "I love you, but hate everything you stand for".

She was found guilty, prompting Dugdale to address the jury, saying: "In finding me guilty you have turned me from an intellectual recalcitrant into a freedom fighter. I know no finer title."

Well, it was certainly a bit different from reporting on the minor crime from in and around the Axe Valley and the court was full of reporters and photographers from the national press.

The decision was made in 2000 to close Axminster court with offenders being sent to Exeter. The MP at that time, Sir Peter Emery, fought the closure but to no avail.

To cover all cases reporters would have to sit in Exeter court all day and that was not a viable proposition. But knowing your name appearing in the local paper often acted as a deterrent and therefore played a part in keeping the Axe Valley as a low-crime area.

I would like a quid for ever time an offender was waiting for me to come out of court and plead with me not to put it in the paper, particularly when I worked for Pulman's Weekly News, which was the Bible in those days.

There was one very distressing occasion when the perpetrator of a disturbing crime pleaded with me "not to put it in the paper". I shrugged it off as I usually did.

My report went in the paper and he committed suicide. He left a letter saying he could not stand the embarrassment and did want his mum to know. And I had to cover the inquest.

I was 19 years-old and it troubled me for a long time. It still does, in fact.