Judges look back on a year of broadcasting Crown Court sentencing remarks
By Law News
His Honour Judge Mark Lucraft, the Recorder of London, and Mrs Justice Cheema Grubb speak about their experiences after a year of televised sentencing remarks in the Crown Court
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary posted videos of the two judges on 1 August. Their remarks follow the one-year anniversary of the first broadcast of a judge's sentencing remarks in Crown Court.
A press release to accompany the videos said:
The start of live broadcasting of sentencing remarks enables the public to observe justice being delivered, helping them to better understand the complex decisions judges make.
The first sentencing hearing broadcast was on Thursday 28 July 2022 at the Old Bailey in London.
These remarks were broadcast on several major news outlets. Sky, BBC, ITN and The Press Association can apply to film and broadcast the sentencing remarks, with the judge in the case deciding whether to grant the request.
There have since been 34 broadcasts of sentencing remarks, covering courts in Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, Swansea, Derby, and Nottingham.