‘I prefer heavy metal to Blue’s music’ admits judge (From Oxford Mail)

‘I prefer heavy metal to Blue’s music’ admits judge

11:00am Saturday 5th May 2012 in Oxford

SHE is the very image of judicial primness when she sits behind her bench in Oxford Crown Court, but Judge Mary Jane Mowat yesterday revealed she is into heavy metal music.

Judge Mowat, 63, hit the headlines this week when she excused former boyband member Lee Ryan from jury service on one of her trials because she recognised him.

And now she has spoken out further on the matter after Ryan, formerly of the band Blue, tweeted the pair had met when he bought a horse from her.

Casting aside usual convention, she called a reporter into court at Oxford Crown Court and revealed she had even tried to punt another band to him.

She said: “I understand he has been tweeting about his incident and it was something like ‘I bought a horse from the judge ’cos I’m posh, innit.’ “Well, Mr Ryan may be posh but I never sold him a horse, innit.

“Perhaps he was thinking of some other 63-year-old female circuit judge with long white hair. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, I don’t know.”

Judge Mowat told the amused courtroom that the connection between herself and Mr Ryan was in fact “rather more mundane” as she attended the same livery yard as Mr Ryan’s girlfriend’s family.

She said: “We do indeed share an enthusiasm for horses but it goes no further than that, except I did give Mr Ryan a lengthy album from an Oxford band who I particularly admire.

“As far as Blue is concerned I am well aware of Blue and well aware of Mr Ryan’s participation – they were a very polished outfit but my taste runs rather more towards the classic rock and heavy metal spectrum.”

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