The Catholic Leader - 7 May

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The Catholic Leader, May 7, 2017
Friends at Court a welcoming face in Noosa and Nambour
Breaking down
the ‘fear factor’
Blessed volunteers: Beenleigh Court volunteers June Gale and Ann Raymond with Friends at
Court co-ordinator for Noosa and Nambour Denis Meadows at the 2015 Centacare awards.
By Emilie Ng
COURTROOM nerves seem to dis-
appear when Denis Meadows bares
his endearing trademark smile at
Noosa Magistrates Court.
The Noosa District Catholic parishioner is the
co-ordinator of Friends at Court in Noosa and
Nambour, a volunteer-run outreach of Centac-
are’s Prisoner Service.
Established in the early 1990s, Mr Meadows
said Friends at Court offered impartial support
for people who appeared in court, the magis-
trates and the police service.
“We help the court structure to run smoothly,”
he said.
“We’re a smiling, friendly face to greet
people.”
Breaking down the “fear factor” that is often
paired with appearing at court is one of Mr
Meadows’ priorities on the job.
“We’re trying to break down the fear factor
that a lot of people have when coming to court,”
he said.
“Our volunteers are the first faces that people
summoned to attend the magistrates court will
see before they arrive.
“Some know their way around but others, they
are frightened and think they must be the worst
person in the world.”
Mr Meadows said the Friends at Court often
asked to help people who were filled with anxi-
ety before the magistrate.
He said the “greatest reward” was a simple
vote of thanks from people who he had helped.
Almost five years ago, Mr Meadows was
assisting a young builder who had been charged
with driving under the influence of alcohol.
The young man had been rebuilding a relation-
ship with his estranged father.
The father and son would meet at a hotel on
Brisbane’s west for a meal once a week.
One week they chose to watch a match with
Australian boxer Anthony Mundine at a bar
when a fight broke out.
The father was hit on the head with a chair and
his quick-thinking son drove him to hospital, but
he was pulled over by the police and charged
with drink driving.
“He wasn’t going to explain to the magistrate
that it wasn’t a normal habit that forced him in
that situation,” Mr Meadows said.
“I asked if I could explain that to the magis-
trate, and I did.”
Mr Meadows explained how the young man
chose to drive after drinking alcohol because of
a “degree of urgency” to take his father to the
hospital.
“He needed that picture to be painted to prove
to the magistrate that he wasn’t a habitual drink-
driver,” he said.
The young man’s penalty was reduced after
the magistrate heard the nature of his offence.
“In an act of solidarity, the young man put
his hand around me and said, ‘Thank you’,” Mr
Meadows said.
“When he arrived at the court, he had no idea
that would happen.”
For more information about Noosa and Nam-
bour Friends at Court email Denis Meadows at
.
We’re a
smiling, friendly
face to greet
people (at court).
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK