A MAGISTRATE is retiring after serving communities across the North-East for 30 years.

Former electrician David Balls, who is from Newton Hall, Durham, first became a Justice of the Peace at the age of 40.

Now, with his 70th birthday approaching, he is getting ready to step down from the bench, having served in youth, adult and family courts across County Durham.

Over the years has become one of the county’s longest serving magistrates, is a Deputy Chairman of the Bench and had sat on the licensing panel as well as the training and development committee.

Mr Balls, who is married to Kathleen, enjoys spending free time in their static caravan in North Yorkshire.

He said: “I have always had a thing about doing the right. I believe in law and order. I went down to the court one day, and I thought ‘I wouldn’t mind having a go at that’.

“They must have seen something in me and lo and behold I was appointed. I was a little bit wary at first because there were 50 or 60 magistrates, and they were headteachers, professors and doctors.

“I thought I would be a fish out of water, but nothing could be further from the truth.”