THE longest serving magistrate in the UK is set to retire after 40 years of volunteering for the justice system.

Professor Malcolm Weale's last day as a senior magistrate, on March 8, will see him bid adieu to Dorset's courts in time for his 70th birthday as the law dictates.

The professional musician came to Bournemouth with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 1969.

"It is with great sadness I will be saying goodbye to so many friends," he said. "It has been a pleasure and an honour to serve the Queen, the country and the community."

Prof Weale was the principal trumpet player with the Bolshoi Kirov Orchestra before joining the BSO when he was soon appointed to the bench in Wimborne.

He is the chair of the Adult and Youth Court as well as the Appraiser of Magistrates overseeing the standard within the court.

In his professional capacity it seems there are few places Prof Weale has not been and even fewer accomplishments he has not achieved.

He has appeared at the Edinburgh Festival, played at the Proms in London, and performed on television and radio.

In 1983 he was appointed the professor of music at the Ministry of Defence.

"It was setting up the Army School of Music in Bovington," he said.

There he trained his "boys" before they went to regimental bands abroad.

He also trains instructors in Portsmouth for the Royal Marines; is the International Adjudicator and Examiner chairing Music for Youth; and has conducted at the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall and, more locally, the Lighthouse.

As if that weren't enough, he has also appeared in the International Who's Who of Musicians.

He was granted a Fellowship with the Royal Society of Arts and the Royal Academy of Music, as well as a peerage in 2000.

And it's not just the magistrates where he has volunteered his time.

He was asked to step in as the chairman of the complaints procedure for the NHS - a role he held for 10 years.

When asked how the magistrate's role has changed during his time he recalls one of his first ever cases and a discussion that took place with a senior clerk.

"We were discussing how we could best go about deciding this person's case," he said. "I was looking at rehabilitation. He said 'sir, you are here to punish'.

"The approach now is completely different. We have to show compassion and sensitivity. At the same time there always has to be that level of fairness and justice."

And what changes would he like to see?

"I'm really concerned about mental health in this country," he replied. "We have to do something about it and in our guidelines there is nothing that discusses how to deal with it.

"The court has changed and we have to be adaptable."

Prof Weale now looks forward to carrying on his music work in Asia and New Zealand and spending time with his wife of 46 years and two daughters.