Mike lived in Brigg for some years and played cricket as a batsman for the Town team - midweek and sometimes at weekends.
He also played in goal for Brigg Town FC and the White Horse team.
He returned to Brigg last December for a White Horse FC reunion at Wetherspoon's pub.
He's seen above - second left - during this get-together, alongside Steve Brown, left, Ricky Rivron, third right, Phil Glentworth and John Welburn.
It was good to meet up with Mike again after a break of some years.
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary announced today: "His Honour Judge Michael John Heath retires as a Circuit Judge with effect from 1 September 2017."
We recall covering cases at Brigg courthouse, top picture, for the Lincolnshire & South Humberside Times in the early 1980s when Mike was still a practising advocate.
Now 69, Mike was admitted as a Solicitor in 1975. He was appointed a Deputy District Judge in 1984, an Assistant Recorder in 1989, a Recorder in 1993, Solicitor Advocate in 1994 and a Circuit Judge in 1995.
He was the Ethnic Minorities Liaison Judge, Lincolnshire, from 1995 to 2008, the Resident Judge at Grimsby Crown Court from 1999 to 2001, Resident Judge at Lincoln Combined Court from 2000 to 2010 and Honorary Recorder of the City of Lincoln from 2001 to 2010.
He was Chairman of the Humberside Area Criminal Justice Strategy Committee from 2000 to 2003, a Member of the Courts Board, Lincolnshire, from 2004 to 2006, and a Member of the Lincolnshire Probation Board from 2004 to 2006.
As we said, the end of an era.
The Scunthorpe Telegraph has also recalled Mike's career in a nice feature by Nick Cole.
Read it through this link...
