Winchester Law Courts
Winchester Combined Court Centre[1] is a law court in Winchester, Hampshire, England built in the mid 1970s, and was formally opened in 1974 by the then Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailsham.[2][3] It is operated by HM Courts & Tribunals Service and houses the Winchester Crown Court, a first tier Crown Court at which High Court Judges preside in both criminal and civil trials. Among the most high-profile cases to be heard there are that of Rosemary West murder trial in 1995,[4] The adjacent Great Hall of Winchester Castle was the location of the trial of six members of the Provisional IRA, who were convicted in 1973 (before the Centre was formally opened) for causing the Old Bailey bombing that March.[5]
History was made in February 2017 when the Lord Chief Justice presided at a sitting of the Court of Appeal at Winchester.[6]
The centre also houses the County Court in Winchester and the Winchester District Registry of the High Court.
Until the mid 1990s, the centre also contained magistrates' courts, and these temporarily returned in 2011 whilst the court buildings in Basingstoke were being refurbished.[7]
The building retains a number of original features from the 1970s, including ashtrays built into in the counters of the public office. Courts 1 to 4 are particularly spacious and feature high public galleries reached by lift. Court facilities include a cafe, vending machines and retiring rooms for advocates.
51°03′45″N 1°19′09″W / 51.062512°N 1.319077°W
References
- ^ "Court information". HM Courts & Tribunals Service. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ^ Inscription in the main entrance hall of the Centre.
- ^ "Crane lined up for court refurbishment". Hampshire Chronicle. 22 February 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
- ^ Masters, Brian (9 September 2011). "Fred West's final crime". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
- ^ Borrell Clive; Christopher Walker (15 November 1973). "Hostage threat as IRA eight are convicted in London bombs trial" (JPEG). The Times. p. 1. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
- ^ "The most senior judge in England and Wales will sit at Winchester Law Courts". Hampshire Chronicle article. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017..
- ^ Napier, Andrew (2 October 2011). "Magistrates court reopens in Winchester". Hampshire Chronicle. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
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