List of Crown Court venues in England and Wales

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The Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey, is the Crown Court centre for the City of London. Oldbaileylondon-900.jpg
The Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey, is the Crown Court centre for the City of London.

In the system of courts of England and Wales, the Crown Court deals with serious criminal charges and with less serious charges where the accused has elected trial at the Crown Court instead of trial at a magistrates' court. The Crown Court also hears appeals against conviction and sentence from magistrates. [1]

Contents

Background

The Crown Court system was established by the Courts Act 1971, which came into force on 1 January 1972, following the recommendations of a royal commission chaired by Lord Beeching. Previously, criminal cases that were not dealt with by magistrates were heard by assize courts and courts of quarter sessions, in a system that had changed little in the preceding centuries. [2] The Crown Court system is administered by His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. England is divided into six regions by HMCTS (London, Midlands, North East, North West, South East and Western), with the whole of Wales forming a seventh region. [3]

Organisation

In 2007, there were 91 locations in England and Wales at which the Crown Court regularly sat. [4] Crown Court centres are designated in one of three tiers: first-tier centres are visited by High Court judges for criminal and also for civil cases (in the District Registry of the High Court); second-tier centres are visited by High Court judges for criminal work only; and third-tier centres are not normally visited by High Court judges. High Court judges hear 2% of cases at the Crown Court, but 27% of the most serious (Class 1) cases. Circuit judges and recorders sit at all three tiers, hearing 88% and 10% of the cases respectively. When the Crown Court is conducting a trial, the judge sits with a jury of twelve; when hearing appeals against decisions of a magistrates' court, the judge sits with two (or sometimes four) magistrates. [1]

Place of business

Section 78 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 provides that the Crown Court can conduct business at any location in England and Wales, in accordance with directions given by the Lord Chancellor. [5] This power is sometimes used to enable court sittings to take place away from one of the regular Crown Court venues. For example, in 2007, a sitting of the Crown Court was held at one of the oldest court buildings in England or Wales, the former courthouse in Beaumaris, Anglesey, which was built in 1614 and closed in 1997. [6]

Crown Court locations

Brighton Law Courts Law Courts Brighton.JPG
Brighton Law Courts
Cambridge Crown Court Cambridge Crown Court.jpg
Cambridge Crown Court
Cardiff Crown Court Cardiff Crown Court.JPG
Cardiff Crown Court
Exeter Law Courts Exeter Combined Court Centre.jpg
Exeter Law Courts
Hove Trial Centre Hove Law Courts.jpg
Hove Trial Centre
Kingston upon Hull Combined Court Centre Hull Combined Court Centre.jpg
Kingston upon Hull Combined Court Centre
Inner London Crown Court Inner london crown court southwark.jpg
Inner London Crown Court
Lewes Crown Court Law Courts, High Street, Lewes (NHLE Code 1043780) (March 2022).JPG
Lewes Crown Court
Newport Crown Court Newport - Civic Centre - geograph.org.uk - 696032.jpg
Newport Crown Court
Reading Crown Court Reading Crown Court.jpg
Reading Crown Court
Snaresbrook Crown Court Snaresbrook Crown Court.jpg
Snaresbrook Crown Court
Stafford Combined Court Centre Stafford Crown Court.JPG
Stafford Combined Court Centre
Swansea Crown Court Swansea Crown Court.jpg
Swansea Crown Court
Worcester Crown Court The Shire Hall, Worcester.jpg
Worcester Crown Court
York Crown Court York Crown Court - geograph.org.uk - 1178380.jpg
York Crown Court
Court nameRegion [3] Tier [3] NotesRef
Amersham South EastThirdAmersham Law Courts act as a satellite to Aylesbury Crown Court.
Aylesbury (Aylesbury Crown Court)South EastThirdMarch 2018 saw the relocation of the court house into the town's previous magistrates' court. [7]
Basildon South EastThirdShares a building with Basildon County Court; there are seven courtrooms for criminal cases. [8] [9]
Birmingham (Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Birmingham)MidlandFirstFour of the sixteen courts are in a separate building. [10]
Bolton (Bolton Law Courts)North WestThirdShares a building with Bolton County Court [8]
Bournemouth (Bournemouth Combined Court Centre)WesternSecondShares a building with Bournemouth County Court [8]
Bradford (Bradford Law Courts)North EastSecondShares a building with Bradford County Court [8]
Brighton (Brighton Law Courts)South EastThirdThere are two court rooms dedicated to hosting Crown Court cases within the magistrates' court
Bristol (Bristol Crown Court)WesternFirstTakes long trials from other courts in the region [11]
Burnley (Burnley Law Courts)North WestThirdShares a building with Burnley County Court [8]
Caernarfon (Caernarfon Criminal Justice Centre)WalesFirstA new court building opened on 20 May 2009, the new building contains two Crown Court courtrooms and two magistrates' court courtrooms; the listed building formerly holding the court was put on sale for £120,000 in 2008. [12] [13]
Cambridge (Cambridge Crown Court)South EastFirstUpgraded to first tier status in 2005 after a new court building opened in 2004 [14]
Canterbury (Canterbury Law Courts)South EastThirdShares a building with Canterbury County Court [8]
Cardiff (Cardiff Crown Court)WalesFirstAdministers Newport Crown Court [15]
Carlisle (Carlisle Courts of Justice)North WestFirstShares a building with Carlisle County Court [8]
Central Criminal Court LondonSecondKnown as the "Old Bailey", after the street on which the court is located [8]
Chelmsford (Chelmsford Crown Court)South EastFirst [8]
Chester (Chester Crown Court)North WestFirstAdministers the crown courts at Knutsford and Warrington [16]
Coventry (Coventry Combined Court Centre)MidlandThirdShares a building with Coventry County Court [8]
Croydon (Croydon Law Courts)LondonThirdShares a building with Croydon County Court [8]
Derby (Derby Combined Court Centre)MidlandThirdShares a building with Derby County Court [8]
Doncaster North EastThirdDesignated as a suitable venue for terrorism-related trials, following improvements to the building in 2007 [17]
Dorchester (County Hall, Dorchester)WesternSecondThe court has one courtroom; the court offices are in Weymouth [18]
Durham (Durham Crown Court)North EastThirdThe court has two courtrooms [19]
Exeter (Exeter Law Courts)WesternFirstShares a building with Exeter County Court [8]
Gloucester (Gloucester Crown Court)WesternSecond [20]
Grimsby (Grimsby Combined Court Centre)North EastThirdShares a building with Great Grimsby County Court [8]
Guildford (Guildford Crown Court)South EastThirdThe court also uses a courtroom at Guildford Magistrates' Court for two weeks each month. [21]
Harrow (Harrow Crown Court)LondonThird [8]
Hereford (Hereford Crown Court)MidlandThirdA satellite of Worcester Crown Court [22]
Hove (Hove Trial Centre)South EastThird [23]
Inner London (Inner London Crown Court)LondonThird [8]
Ipswich (Ipswich Crown Court)South EastSecond [8]
Isleworth (Isleworth Crown Court)LondonThird [8]
King's Lynn (King's Lynn Crown Court)South EastThird [8]
Kingston upon Hull (Kingston upon Hull Combined Court Centre)North EastThirdShares a building with Kingston upon Hull County Court [8]
Kingston upon Thames (Kingston upon Thames Crown Court)LondonThirdThe court has been designated to hear terrorism trials as a backup if Woolwich Crown Court is unable to hear a particular trial. [24]
Lancaster (Lancaster Crown Court)North WestThirdA satellite of Preston Crown Court, which sits at Lancaster Castle [25]
Leeds (Leeds Combined Court Centre)North EastFirstShares a building with Leeds County Court [8]
Leicester (Leicester Law Courts)MidlandSecondShares a building with Leicester County Court [8]
Lewes (Lewes Crown Court)South EastFirstShares a building with Lewes County Court; the court has ten courtrooms, split between Lewes, Hove and Brighton. [8] [26]
Lincoln (Lincoln Crown Court)MidlandFirstThe court is based in Lincoln Castle [8]
Liverpool (Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Liverpool)North WestFirstShares a building with Liverpool Youth Court [8]
Luton (Luton Crown Court)South EastSecond [27]
Maidstone (Maidstone Law Courts)South EastSecondShares a building with Maidstone County Court [8]
Manchester (Manchester Crown Court (Crown Square))North WestFirst [28]
Manchester (Minshull Street Crown Court)North WestThirdThere are ten courtrooms in the main building, with a further two at Stockport Magistrates' Court. [29]
Merthyr Tydfil (Merthyr Tydfil Law Courts)WalesSecondShares a building with Merthyr Tydfil County Court and Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court [8]
Mold (Mold Law Courts)WalesFirstShares a building with Mold County Court; extension plans have been put forward [8] [30]
Newcastle upon Tyne (Newcastle Law Courts)North EastFirstShares a building with Newcastle upon Tyne County Court [8]
Newport (Isle of Wight) (Newport Law Courts)WesternThirdShares a building with Newport (Isle of Wight) County Court and the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court [8]
Newport (South Wales) (Newport Crown Court)WalesSecondThe three courtrooms are administered from Cardiff Crown Court [15]
Northampton (Northampton Crown Court)MidlandSecondShares a building with Northampton County Court [8]
Norwich (Norwich Law Courts)South EastFirstShares a building with Norwich County Court [8]
Nottingham (Nottingham Crown Court)MidlandFirstShares a building with Nottingham County Court [8]
Oxford (Oxford Combined Court Centre)South EastFirstShares a building with Oxford County Court [8]
Peterborough (Peterborough Combined Court Centre)South EastThirdShares a building with Peterborough County Court [8]
Plymouth (Plymouth Law Courts)WesternSecondShares a building with Plymouth County Court [8]
Portsmouth (Portsmouth Courts of Justice)WesternThirdShares a building with Portsmouth County Court [8]
Preston (Preston Crown Court)North WestFirstShares a building with Preston County Court; administers the satellite crown courts at Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster [25] [8]
Reading (Reading Crown Court)South EastSecondThe court has six courtrooms, but pressure of work means that some cases are moved to Oxford Crown Court for hearing. [31]
Salisbury (Salisbury Law Courts)WesternThirdShares a building with Salisbury County Court [8]
Sheffield (Sheffield Law Courts)North EastFirstShares a building with Sheffield County Court [8]
Shrewsbury (Shrewsbury Justice Centre)MidlandSecondThe court has three courtrooms, now hosted in the town's former magistrates’ court, which has been completely refurbished since its closure in 2016. [32] [33]
Snaresbrook (Snaresbrook Crown Court)LondonThirdSnaresbrook is the largest crown court centre in England. [34] [35]
Southampton (Southampton Courts of Justice)WesternThirdShares a building with Southampton County Court [8]
Southend (Southend Court House)South EastThirdShares a building with Southend Magistrates' Court [8]
Southwark (Southwark Crown Court)LondonThirdThe court is the designated crown court in London for all fraud or money laundering cases estimated to last 6 weeks or more. [36]
St Albans (St Albans Crown Court)South EastSecondThe court has six courtrooms (two of which are housed in the adjacent Magistrates’ Court) and has had to hold additional hearings at Cheshunt Magistrates' Court and Watford County Court because of pressures of work. [37]
Stafford (Stafford Combined Court Centre)MidlandFirstShares a building with Stafford County Court [8]
Stoke-on-Trent (Stoke-on-Trent Combined Court Centre)MidlandThirdShares a building with Stoke-on-Trent County Court [8]
Swansea (Swansea Crown Court)WalesFirstAlso administers the crown courts at Carmarthen and Haverfordwest [38]
Swindon (Swindon Law Courts)WesternThirdShares a building with Swindon County Court [8]
Taunton (Taunton Crown Court)WesternThirdShares a building with Taunton County Court [8]
Teesside (Teesside Combined Court Centre)North EastFirstShares a building with Middlesbrough County Court [8]
Truro (Truro Crown Court)WesternFirstShares a building with Truro County Court [8]
Warrington North WestSecondAdministered from Chester Crown Court [16]
Warwick (Warwickshire Justice Centre)MidlandFirstShares a building with Warwick County Court [8]
Winchester (Winchester Law Courts)WesternFirstShares a building with Winchester County Court [8]
Wolverhampton (Wolverhampton Combined Court Centre)MidlandThirdShares a building with Wolverhampton County Court [8]
Wood Green (Wood Green Crown Court)LondonThird [8]
Woolwich (Woolwich Crown Court)LondonThird [8]
Worcester (Worcester Crown Court)MidlandSecondShares a building with Worcester County Court; administers a satellite crown court at Hereford [8] [22]
York (York Crown Court)North EastSecondA two-court centre, taking work from a large part of North Yorkshire [39]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Judicial and Court Statistics 2007, Chapter 6" (PDF). Ministry of Justice. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2008.
  2. Zander, Michael (2007). Cases and Materials on the English Legal System. Cambridge University Press. p. 16. ISBN   978-0-521-67540-6.
  3. 1 2 3 "HMCS Framework Document" (PDF). HMCS. April 2008. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 November 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2008.
  4. "Courts". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . House of Commons. 4 December 2007. col. 1179W–1181W.
  5. Jackson, Richard Meredith; Spencer, J. R. (1989). Jackson's Machinery of Justice. Cambridge University Press. p. 176. ISBN   978-0-521-31767-2.
  6. "Historic court reopens for a day". BBC News. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2008.
  7. "Aylesbury Crown Court, a building steeped with history closes its doors". Premier Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 "Court Information and Addresses". HMCS. Archived from the original on 16 November 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  9. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Basildon Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  10. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Birmingham Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  11. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Bristol Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  12. "Lord Chief Justice opens new Caernarfon Criminal Justice Centre" (Press release). Her Majesty's Courts Service. 20 May 2009. Archived from the original (doc) on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  13. Crump, Eyrl (23 August 2008). "Caernarfon Crown court for sale". Daily Post. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  14. "Cambridge Crown Court upgraded to hear more serious cases" (Press release). Department for Constitutional Affairs. 9 May 2005. Retrieved 20 October 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  15. 1 2 "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Cardiff / Newport Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  16. 1 2 "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Chester Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  17. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Doncaster Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  18. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Weymouth and Dorchester Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  19. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Durham Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  20. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Gloucester Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  21. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Guildford Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  22. 1 2 "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Worcester Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  23. "Crown Court: Hearing Impairment". UK Parliament. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  24. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  25. 1 2 "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Preston Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  26. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Lewes Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  27. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Luton Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  28. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Manchester Crown Sq Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  29. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Manchester Minshull St Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  30. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Mold Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  31. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Reading Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  32. "Shrewsbury court users benefit from £5m government investment". HMCTS. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  33. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Shrewsbury Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  34. "Crown Court Annual Report 20042005 Snaresbrook Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  35. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Snaresbrook Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  36. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Southwark Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  37. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 St Albans Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  38. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 Swansea Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  39. "Crown Court Annual Report 20062007 York Crown Court" (PDF). HMCS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2008.