A student from Peter Tavy was thrilled to be part of a winning team at the prestigious Bar National Mock Trial Competition recently.

Oli Thomas was a member of the Plymouth High School team that won the competition held at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The competition has been run by the Citizenship Foundation in conjunction with the Bar Council for the last two decades. Plymouth High has won the regional competition three times in the last five years.

Sixteen schools, each regional heat winners, gathered at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Divided into four leagues they contested two trials — one, a burglary in student accommodation, and the other possession of a gun.

Oli's role was as a flatmate to the student who had had an iPad and iPhone stolen. He gave testimony that implicated the cleaner.

The reliability of his evidence was brought into question as he admitted that he had been drinking at a party the night before. Oli countered the cross-examination from St Nicholas Catholic High School, Cheshire, by acting as a confident and assured student.

Plymouth High won its league and

faced Penyrheol Comprehensive School from Wales in the imposing surroundings of the court of the Lord Chief Justice. Plymouth High prevailed in a close competition.

Oli said he had 'gained so many valuable skills' and that 'to win was fantastic, the best feeling possible'.