John Royce Explained

Sir Roger John Royce (born 27 August 1944), styled The Hon. Mr Justice Royce, was a judge of the High Court of England and Wales.[1] [2]

Born in Virginia Water, Surrey, he attended The Leys School and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was awarded Blue at Cambridge for field hockey, and later captained the Somerset county hockey team.[3] In 1970 he was called to the Bar, Gray's Inn, and appointed as QC in 1987.

He presided over the 2009 Plymouth child abuse trial, and sentenced the defendants to Indeterminate Public Protection prison terms, intended to protect the public against criminals regarded as too dangerous to be released when their original sentence has finished. In 2013, he presided over the trial of former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins, who was sentenced to 29 years in prison with a further 6 years on extended licence after admitting to the attempted rape of a baby boy and 12 other offences.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Hon Mr Justice Royce's Biography . Debrett's. 13 July 2011.
  2. Web site: Senior judiciary . Judiciary of England and Wales . 13 July 2011 . dead . https://archive.today/20120803031806/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/judges-magistrates-and-tribunal-judges/list-of-members-of-the-judiciary/senior-judiciary-list . 3 August 2012 .
  3. Web site: UWE awards honorary degree to Sir John Royce. 14 November 2005. University of the West of England. 13 July 2011.
  4. Web site: Lostprophets' Ian Watkins sentenced to 35 years over child sex offences. 2013-12-18. BBC Online. 18 December 2013.