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Television cameras are to be allowed into crown courts for the first time, the justice minister has announced.
Shailesh Vara said that judges’ sentencing remarks in eight courts in England and Wales will be filmed in a three-month pilot scheme.
The courts taking part are the Old Bailey and courts at Southwark in south London, Manchester (Crown Square), Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds and Cardiff.
Filming and recording in courts is banned under s 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 and the Contempt of Court Act 1981. But it has been permitted in the Supreme Court since 2009 and in the Court of Appeal since 2013.
Vara said: ‘My hope is that this will lead to more openness and transparency as to what happens in our courts. Broadcasting sentencing remarks would allow the public to see and hear the judge’s decision in their own words.’
The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, said he was ‘interested’ to see how this pilot progresses and that he will work with the Ministry of Justice to assess the impact of cameras in court.
The cameras will film only the judges passing sentence. There will be no footage of other parts of a case or any other court users, including staff, victims, witnesses, defendants, barristers and solicitors.
Television cameras are to be allowed into crown courts for the first time, the justice minister has announced.
Shailesh Vara said that judges’ sentencing remarks in eight courts in England and Wales will be filmed in a three-month pilot scheme.
The courts taking part are the Old Bailey and courts at Southwark in south London, Manchester (Crown Square), Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds and Cardiff.
Filming and recording in courts is banned under s 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 and the Contempt of Court Act 1981. But it has been permitted in the Supreme Court since 2009 and in the Court of Appeal since 2013.
Vara said: ‘My hope is that this will lead to more openness and transparency as to what happens in our courts. Broadcasting sentencing remarks would allow the public to see and hear the judge’s decision in their own words.’
The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, said he was ‘interested’ to see how this pilot progresses and that he will work with the Ministry of Justice to assess the impact of cameras in court.
The cameras will film only the judges passing sentence. There will be no footage of other parts of a case or any other court users, including staff, victims, witnesses, defendants, barristers and solicitors.
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
Chair of the Bar reports back
