Warwick_Crown_Court

Warwickshire Justice Centre

Warwickshire Justice Centre

Judicial building in Leamington Spa, England

The Warwickshire Justice Centre is a Crown Court venue, which deals with criminal cases, as well as a County Court venue, which deals with civil cases, in Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa, England. The complex also incorporates magistrates' court, a police station, and other agencies such as the Probation Service and Victim Support.

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History

Until the early 21st century, the Crown and County Courts in Warwickshire were based at Shire Hall in Warwick.[1] However, as the number of court cases in the county grew, it became necessary to commission a more modern courthouse for both Crown Court hearings and County Court hearings. The site selected by the Ministry of Justice, on the northwest side of Newbold Terrace, had been occupied by a row of Regency style houses erected in the mid-19th century. These buildings had been badly damaged by German bombing during the Second World War and replaced by a series of low-rise buildings including some government offices, a magistrates' court building and a police station in the 1960s.[2]

The new building was intended to re-recreate the scale and massing of the original Regency style housing. Construction started in July 2008.[3] It was designed by HLM in the Modernist style, built by Galliford Try in white stucco at a cost of £26.3 million and was completed in December 2010.[4][5] It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 4 March 2011.[6]

The design involved a main frontage in three main sections facing Newbold Terrace. The left hand section of five bays was fenestrated on the first and second floors by rows of casement windows, which were fronted by a slatted structure which was projected forward. The central section, which was recessed, was formed by a flight of steps leading up to a revolving door giving access to a full-height atrium, while the right hand section, which was taller than the other sections, was fenestrated by a series of recessed lancet windows spanning the first and second floors, which were surmounted by a huge Royal coat of arms. Internally, the complex was laid out to accommodate seven courtrooms,[7] a magistrates' court, a police station, and other agencies such as the Probation Service and Victim Support.[8]

Notable cases included the trial and conviction of the radio presenters, Tony and Julie Wadsworth, in June 2017, in connection with historical child sex offences.[9][10][11]

References

  1. [1]
    "Warwick Crown Court final sitting marks end of an era". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. [2]
    Wallsgrove, Jon (2019). The Architecture of Law Courts. Paragon Publishing. ISBN 978-1782227021.
  3. [3]
    "Building to start on justice centre in Leamington". Coventry Telegraph. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  4. [4]
    Mulcahy, Linda; Rowden, Emma (2019). The Democratic Courthouse: A Modern History of Design, Due Process and Dignity. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 978-0429558689.
  5. [5]
    "Galliford Try picks up Leamington Spa court job". Construction News. 14 April 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  6. [6]
    "Queen officially opens RSC theatre and justice centre". BBC News. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  7. [7]
    "Warwick". Ministry of Justice. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  8. [8]
    "Warwickshire Justice Centre, Leamington Spa". Criminal Justice Board. Archived from the original on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  9. [9]
    "Ex-BBC presenters Tony and Julie Wadsworth jailed for sex offences". BBC News. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  10. [10]
    "Ex-BBC presenters given five-year jail terms for indecently assaulting boys". The Guardian. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  11. [11]
    "Victim speaks out after ex-BBC WM stars who targeted boys for sex released from jail". Birmingham Mail. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
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