Mr Whyld was on the stand on Wednesday afternoon as Law Society held its sixth mock trial. Ariella (Y12) was accused of falsely imprisoning Mr Whyld in a barn, where he thought he was auditioning for an immersive theatrical production. It was up to Maya (Y11) and Alexandra (Y10) for the Prosecution, and Edith (Y11) and Jiyaa (Y10) for the Defence, to put their case to the jury of year 10-13 students, battling it out before the judge, Mr Fitzgerald, in a packed hall.
Year 11 Sophia gave us her summary of the trial: "Penetrating the glassy surface of the accusations would reveal a far more sinister dimension... forensic examiner Ms Hotchkiss would conclude that Ariella’s DNA was not in the vicinity, and Year 11 student Emily claimed to have spotted Mr Whyld swathed in luxury at the Dorchester Hotel. With inconclusive details and statements, the prosecution case of Alexandra and Maya and well-constructed defence of Edie and Jiyaa left the jury facing a decision of considerable complexity. Ultimately, Ariella was narrowly found not guilty of false imprisonment by a margin of 55% to 45%. It was later revealed that justice had indeed prevailed, with the whole story having been fabricated by the villainous Mr Whyld."
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