However, the rest of the book is more positive and provides a useful guide to trials in both magistrates' and Crown courts. In a book of this size (just 100 A5 pages), information is necessarily fairly basic and anyone seriously considering defending themselves would be well advised to also seek legal advice or get their hands on a good legal textbook in order to familiarise themselves with the finer points of the law.
But this book is a good starting point, particularly for those with little knowledge of the law, and it is clear and concise in its explanations. I didn't find it to be particularly user-friendly and was irritated by the lack of an index which means that much time is wasted trying to locate a particular topic. That's my main criticism, but overall I'd recommend this book - and I'd also recommend defending yourself in court every time, scathing QCs notwithstanding!
Reviewed by Andrea Needham who successfully defended herself in the Crown Court for her role in the disarmament of an Indonesian-bound Hawk fighter at British Aerospace Warton in January 1996.