MORE than 200 students at 12 schools across West Yorkshire attended Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court to take part in a national mock trials competition.

The event (right) pitted schools from across the county against each other in head-to-head trials, where each one would defend and prosecute a case with pupils acting as witnesses, lawyers, magistrates and court officials.

The competition aims to help young people understand the law and the politics of democracy, and was judged by real magistrates, including The High Sheriff of Yorkshire, Charles Dent.

Two Bradford schools took the honours on the day, with Beckfoot Academy finishing in first place, ahead of Belle Vue Girls’ School.