A WEST Devon resident was this week called up to attend Plymouth Crown Court for jury service ? at the tender age of three! Young Abigail Mortlock, of Mary Tavy, received her summons in the post on Monday ? her mum, Tracy, said she couldn?t believe her eyes when she opened the letter. ?It said, ?You have been summonsed for jury service ? you name was picked at random?,? said Tracy. ?It said she had to report at court on January 9 at 9.30am! I thought, ?My God, the Government must be really getting desperate to get people?. ?It?s not the first time something like this has happened ? back along she had a card to go and vote ? she was only about one-and-a-half then!? Tracy said she phoned Plymouth Crown Court to inform them her daughter wasn?t even old enough to go to school ? let alone sit on a jury. ?The woman asked for her number and said she?d make sure she was crossed off the list ? she didn?t seem to see the funny side of it,? said Tracy, who had explained to Abigail what the letter was about. She said her daughter?s response to doing her civic duty was not over-enthusiastic. ?She said, ?Mummy, I don?t want to go and see the police?,? said Tracy. A spokesman for West Devon Borough Council confirmed that Abigail?s name did appear on the electoral list ? although it has now been removed, following a request from her parents. The spokesman said: ?Her name has definitely been removed from July 1st. However, we send the crown court one list a year in December, so they wouldn?t have had any amendment yet. ?It?s purely unfortunate and just one of those things, but her name should not have been on the list in the first place? it?s for adults, not children,? said the spokesman.
