A long-serving magistrate has retired after serving just over 26 years on the bench.

Pat Costain sat for the final time on Thursday as prosecution and defence advocates, as well as current magistrates, past magistrates and deemsters gathered to pay tribute.

Fellow magistrate Brian Walton, who was chairing the bench in the morning session, said that he had worked alongside Mrs Costain, who lives in Patrick, for 18 years.

’She has made an extremely valuable contribution to the work of the magistrates,’ said Mr Walton.

He went on to say that the number of cases which Mrs Costain had dealt with must number in the thousands.

’She has been a most helpful and knowledgeable colleague and I was priviledged to work with her. You will be greatly missed,’ he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Attorney General’s Chambers, prosecution advocate Rebecca Cubbon said: ’You have always been extremely fair, reasonable and just, and have always sat with a smile on your face.

’You will be very sorely missed. We wish you all the best.’

Advocate Stephen Wood spoke on behalf of the gathered defence advocates and said that Mrs Costain been ’part of the furniture’.

He said: ’You have always presided fairly, conscientiously and justly. You can’t please 100% of the people 100% of the time. Undoubtedly on occasions difficult decisions would have had to be made.’

He added: ’Enjoy the good times ahead.’

Mrs Costain said: ’It has been a privilege to be a part of the magistry and I will miss it.

’I have put my heart and soul into it. When I started I was a magistrate in Peel as we were in areas, so I went to the Peel courthouse.

’I sat in Ramsey, Castletown and Peel, then after, in Douglas.

’Some of my colleagues will remember the old courthouse in Athol Street.

’You had to be fit to get up the staircase.’

Ms Costain went on to say that she had worked with three clerks to the justices, John Needham, David Jones, and Stephen Tucker, and had seen young advocates ’cutting their teeth’ and maturing into respected advocates.

Ms Costain thanked the all court and office staff, mentioning Stan Craine for his ’cheery words’ and Zoe Cannell for being so ’cheery and helpful’.