A University murder is announced!

University of Teesside Senior Law lecturer Cath Crosby is to be murdered by one of her students on Wednesday 28 March. Not only does Cath know the identity of her future assailant, Law student Taib Kasnazany, she also has advance notice of the time and location of her demise!

Cath’s ‘mock murder’ will spark the beginning of the University’s first ‘Crime Day’, an event that will involve collection of evidence, police interviews and a mock trial. The jury will be made up of upper sixth form students (aged 17-18) from St. Mary’s College in Middlesbrough, who will listen to evidence presented in the University’s new Mock Court Room. The teenage jurors will reach their verdict at 3.30pm.

Cath Crosby said: “If I had to be bumped off by somebody I’d sooner it was Taib! He’s been a real asset to the course and in other circumstances I’d be sorry to see him imprisoned. This is the first time we’ve run an event like this and we’ve already been asked if we can offer more of the same. It’s been great fun and we hope this will be the first of many.”

Taib, 30, from Middlesbrough, is Kurdish and a student on the University’s one-year postgraduate Criminal Law degree. He was the first student to volunteer to take part in the event and keen to play the defendant. He said: “Playing Cath’s murderer is so far removed from my attitudes and my personality! It will be an interesting day, being cross examined and seeing how the Mock Court Room works in practice.”

Staff and students from the following University of Teesside courses will take part:

• Foundation Degree in Police Studies. Cleveland Police’s trainee constables who are studying the Degree will arrest and interview Taib and collect evidence.
• Law, with students acting as Taib’s defence, prosecution and Court Clerks.
• Criminology, whose students will present the sixth form jury with information about sentencing and ask them to consider options for sentences.

Elizabeth Burke, Subject Manager of Law at St. Mary’s College, is a University of Teesside Law graduate. She will be returning with her students for the ‘trial’ and added: “This is a unique opportunity for our students to apply their theoretical knowledge. And for them to gain an insight into the legal process.”

Following the ‘murder trial’ the University’s Mock Court Room will be officially launched at 5.15pm. The Room is based in the first floor of the University’s Tower Block. Those attending will include the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Henderson, His Honour Judge Peter Fox, Senior Circuit Judge and Recorder of Middlesbrough and His Honour Judge Leslie Spittle, Circuit Judge at Teesside Crown Court. The launch event itself will take place in the School of Social Sciences & Law, First Floor, Clarendon Building.

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