SOUTHAMPTON Crown Court was bought to a standstill as one of its “most influential and popular judges” retired.
Judge Peter Ralls QC, who also celebrated his 70th birthday, stood down from the bar in Southampton after a career spent in law.
Former judges, his colleagues and a sea of old friends,were present to watch him retire.
Speakers at the farewell, which took place in courtroom six, included Mr Justices Dingemans, His Honour Judge Gary Burrell QC and Recorder Nigel Lickley QC – who spokes on behalf of the bar and the Western Circuit.
Judge Ralls QC looked back on his eight-years spent in Southampton.
He said: “It’s been a varied, engaging and interesting experience working here. Hampshire Constabulary police force, given all the difficulties they are having with resources, have done some extremely good work on some big cases.
“But the position I am in, it’s sort of like acting as a guardian angel.
“On the one hand you are the person responsible for locking up the bad people who can be cruel, but at the other end of the spectrum there are these people who get themselves into trouble but need help.
“One has to try and find the balance right.”
The judge moved to Winchester with his wife, who is also a barrister at Southampton Crown Court, and has three sons and a daughter.
His sons were present at the ceremony, and although his daughter is thousands of miles away volunteering in South Africa, he was surprised by her presence via the internet.
And although he can now enjoy his retirement, His Honour reflected on some of “nasty” cases he has been involved in.
He said: “There has been a number of cases where one can be sceptical, for examples there were the historical sex cases which involved a Southampton’s children’s home.
“It was incredibly haunting seeing these middle age men talk about how they were abused and how they were damaged. Grown men reduced to tears.