'I swapped the stage for the courtroom bench'

The actor's roles include playing Captain Haddock in a stage version of Tin Tin

An actor who once trod the boards alongside Ralph Fiennes is now keeping order in the courtrooms of West Yorkshire after becoming a magistrate.

Stephen Finegold has acted on the stage and for television, with roles in Emmerdale, Heartbeat and Absolutely Fabulous.

The 66-year-old signed up to the volunteer role a year ago, and said the skills he honed as an actor - such as learning lines - stood him in good stead for understanding case papers in court.

He spoke about his legal role as the Ministry of Justice launched a campaign to recruit more magistrates, especially in West Yorkshire.

Mr Finegold said: "There are people from all walks of life who volunteer for this, there are no legal qualifications needed, you don't need a law degree or anything like that, it is open to anyone aged from 18 to 74.

"I sit on the criminal cases but there is also a family court where magistrates also work, it is absolutely varied.

"You don't know until you get to the court in the morning what you might be seeing or hearing that day."

Stephen Finegold JP covers courts in Leeds, Kirklees and Bradford

Mr Finegold started volunteering as a magistrate after he saw a social media advert encouraging people to apply.

He now serves primarily in the West Yorkshire region covering Leeds, Kirklees and Bradford courts, usually serving one day per week.

He said: "I think people will learn all sorts of skills that they will take back to their work, public speaking and so on, it is very rewarding.

"You are committed to only 13 days per year - and if you are working I think a lot of employers will be very grateful for the kind of skills you are going to learn.

"We have people from doctors, librarians and teachers but I met a refuse collector magistrate the other day, there are all sorts of people who come to us."

He added: "Being a magistrate makes you a rounded individual.

"You learn about the local issues in the community and come across people who may have come from completely different backgrounds to you, so you learn a lot about other people and your area."

The Judiciary of England and Wales and the Ministry of Justice are aiming to recruit 2,000 new magistrates by March 2026.

The role offers various transferable skills such as critical thinking, decision-making and time management, and helps to reduce the court backlog.

Sarah Sackman, Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services, said: "The work that magistrates do is vital.

"Over 90% of all criminal court cases are heard by these local volunteers.

"You will see fascinating cases and bring your professional experience and good judgment to deliver swifter justice for victims."

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