It is no secret that several articles on the Daily Echo's website are behind a paywall.

Among those are court stories that require a subscription in order to view.

As the Echo’s dedicated court and crime reporter, I have and will continue to cover cases that you cannot read about anywhere else, bringing defendants and their crimes into the spotlight.

Supporting my work, and that of my colleagues, by subscribing to the Echo, keeps local reporting alive and thriving, bringing you the best stories you can’t find anywhere else.

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I know the importance of open justice and reporting on the consequences of crime at courts in Southampton and further afield. 

I take great pride in my role as our dedicated court reporter, and I do not take the trust put in me for granted.

All criminal cases have repercussions, and it is important that they should not go unreported within the community. You deserve to know what has happened in court.

From highlighting heinous crime, to explaining the court process, reporting on the courts is vitally important in a world full of disinformation.

And, of course, the crimes committed, and sentences issued, impact many people and have a ripple effect on our city.

From a case about a noisy cockerel to a murder trial, courts are the centre of justice, and the cases prosecuted should be reported on.

But the presence of a reporter in a courtroom is vital, and court reporting takes time and skill.

I want to keep writing and I can do that with your help. By subscribing, you support the work I do in keeping you informed.