[Bellman]

True story - Press Clippings from the BBC News Quiz.

The Interpreter.

A judge presiding over a motoring offence case in the County Court established that the defendant was German and did not speak English.
Wishing to be fair he called the defence counsel to the bench to consult and was told that no interpreter had been called to aid his client.

Addressing the courtroom the judge asked whether there was anyone in the Public Gallery who could speak German who would volunteer
to assist the defendant by acting as an interpreter. He got his volunteer who was invited to stand alongside the German.

''Please ask the defendant his name'' the judge requested of the volunteer who leant forward and poked a finger into the startled Germans chest.............''Vot is your name ?'' He asked.

Citing ''wasting the courts time...'' the judge fined the 'interpreter' £200 for contempt of court.