A Surrey court reporter who started his journalism career at the age of 14 and later covered the trial of a man at the centre of an infamous miscarriage of justice is to retire after 69 years.

Dave Bailey, 83, has covered many trials at Croydon Crown Court, including the case of Derek Bentley who was hanged in 1953 at the age of 19 over the murder of a police officer during a bungled burglary.

The case was famous because, although Derek didn’t fire the shot, he was heard shouting ‘Let him have it’ to his accomplice. A jury concluded that he had meant shoot him, rather than hand the gun over.

His name was later cleared in 1998 following a lengthy campaign from his family, and Derek received a Royal pardon.

Said Dave, who has been a freelance court reporter for 20 years: “There was something different every day. I used to have the run of the court and would go in and have a chat with the judges.

“Last year Judge Cedric Joseph looked across the court room and said ‘it’s about time you retired.”

Dave also remembered cases that have made him smile.

He said: “There was a US police officer who came into Gatwick Airport. He was later driving through London and had a shunt with another car.

“He then got out his gun and said ‘OK fella, I’m a cop from the Bronx, don’t mess with me’. He got eight years for that.”

Dave has been freelancing at Croydon Crown Court for the past 20 years and worked for a news agency before that. His stories are often used in local newspapers such as the Croydon Advertiser.

He started his journalism career at a newspaper in South Wales aged just 14, and has received a get well soon card from staff at Croydon Crown Court bearing more than 50 signatures.

Affectionately known as Bill, Dave, has decided to stop reporting following a heart problem.

He added: “I still need to go back to clear out my desk and get my computer and printer – it will break my heart.”